Johnson - 'There was an element of right place, right time and I forgot about any distractions'

When Ben Walker injured his hamstring in a training game before their opening group game, Green Machine reserve Ben Johnson was first alerted last Thursday.

LATE CALL UP: Ireland’s Ben Johnson after scoring a goal. Pic: ©INPHO/Frank Uijlenbroek

Five seasons ago, Ben Johnson netted the winner in the All Ireland Schools final with relative newcomers Newtown. Today, he will line up in the biggest game of his senior career against Spain in the FIH Olympic qualifiers after a late tournament call-up and two goals in three games. “It’s been a mad week,” he said yesterday.

When Ben Walker injured his hamstring in a training game before their opening group game, Green Machine reserve Johnson was first alerted last Thursday. After Walker failed a fitness test, Johnson flew out to Valencia and made his 19th cap less than 48 hours later.