GAA:Seánie Johnston's proposed move to Kildare hit another stumbling block last night after the Cavan County Board declined to support his transfer, citing concerns over his living arrangements. Johnston had requested that he be allowed move from Cavan Gaels to St Kevin's in Kildare.
That would have cleared the way for him to switch county allegiances after he was left out of Cavan’s training panel by manager Val Andrews. However, the Cavan board have claimed there is “doubt about compliance” with Rule 6.9 which states that a player must be in permanent residence within the new county for a transfer to be granted.
“During the January meeting of Cavan county board's management committee, the issue of an inter-county transfer request was discussed,” the Cavan board said in a statement. “The committee have decided that they will be unable to assist this particular process as they believe there is a doubt about compliance with rial 6.9.”
The committee has raised a doubt about whether or not Johnston resides permanently in Straffan as his application states and expects that Central Council will require definite proof of that residency. However, St Kevin’s chairman, Martin Murray is adamant that Johnston is committed to the club and to continuing his inter-county career with Kildare.
“Seanie is committed to playing football with Kevin’s and Kildare and we at Kevin’s are committed to taking him on” said Murray. “Cavan county board have pulled something out of the hat and we’ll have to go down the Croke Park route now.
“But Seanie wants to play inter-county football and he’s not wanted by Cavan. There’s nothing to say that he’ll get into the Kildare team and to do so, he’d have to work very hard. We know what Kieran McGeeney will demand.
“So it’s ridiculous to say that he would be able to commit to that training, including the early morning sessions they have, if he wasn’t living in the county. He needs to be here five nights a week to be able to train with Kildare.”
Johnston had explored the possibility of continuing to play with his club Cavan Gaels while transferring his county allegiance to Kildare but that is not possible under rule and any challenge through the appeals process and the DRA arbitration route would be likely to fail.
Instead he took the other route by applying for a switch of clubs.