GAA News

The GAA fraternity have been eagerly looking forward to the meeting of the Cavan v Kildare clash next weekend, but it looks like the star attraction might miss out altogether.

As luck would have it, last Monday’s qualifier draw paired Cavan and Kildare together, opening up the mouth-watering prospect of Seanie Johnston making his long-awaited Lilywhite debut in his own backyard after probably the most controversial transfer in the history of the GAA.

The pairing led to a number of GAA personalities suggesting – completely in jest – on Twitter that the draw was rigged and a subsequent over-the-top reaction from GAA President Liam O’Neill, who claimed that the Twitter jokers were calling into question the integrity of O’Neill, Liam Hayes and the TV3 filming crew.

Fix or no fix, it was the draw everyone wanted to because of the added layer of spice it adds to what would otherwise be a run of the mill fixture but the said added layer of spice might be about to removed because of an injury to a man who in the last week became the most famous Kildare hurler in many a year, Seanie Johnston.

After his non-showing against Meath last Sunday, Johnston picked up a shoulder injury in training on Tuesday night and faces a race against time to be available for the meeting with his native county.

Commenting on the nature of the injury, Kildare team spokesperson Morgan O'Callaghan told the Irish Daily Star: "The shoulder injury needs to be assessed as to where he's at and to see what way it reacts and if the pain goes out.

"He picked up a bang and it'll probably be early next week before we know. It's a matter of waiting and seeing."

As he reiterated last weekend, Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has a rule of not picking anyone who isn’t available on the Thursday before a Sunday game, so Johnston will need to prove his fitness early next week if he is to play any part.

It’s fair to say that Kildare GAA folk won’t be the only ones awaiting his fitness bulletins with interest.