Hurling debut not on cards as Kildare wait on Johnston

Seánie Johnston’s new club St Kevin’s insist they are not considering the idea of their player lining out for their affiliated hurling club Coill Dubh.

After a five-month saga, the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) yesterday granted his transfer from Cavan Gaels to the Kildare club.

However, Johnston, who has continued to train with Kildare, can’t represent the county until he has played a championship game for his new club.

While a date for St Kevin’s second round SFC game has yet to be fixed, the forward would be eligible for Kildare were he to play some part in Coill Dubh’s championship fixture at the end of the month.

St Kevin’s vice-chairman John Noone said the club had not yet to discuss the possibility of Johnston playing for Coill Dubh and were unlikely to do so. “That is just what is being speculated — it hasn’t been discussed by us at all. As far as we’re concerned, we’re not looking at that.

“The first I saw of it was on Facebook when some bright spark came up with the idea.

“The transfer has gone through for St Kevin’s and everything else is up to Kildare — that’s the way we’d be looking at it.”

Kildare PRO Mary Donnelly last night also said the suggestions about Johnston playing hurling to make himself available to Kieran McGeeney were “just rumours”.

She also said there were no plans to announce dates for the second round of the football championship in the immediate future.

Croke Park are understood not to be overly disappointed about the decision.

They believe no precedent has been set and the net has, in fact, been tightened by it. Last week, the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) advised the CCCC to process the transfer as there had been no objection, as they termed it, in the 10-day window.

In what is considered a landmark case, Croke Park are now expected to insist on the formalisation of concerns raised about transfer applications.