Offaly not red faced over Cian

BRENDAN KEALY says Offaly are moving on from the Cian Johnson debacle ahead of the Championship opener against Wicklow.

Former Kerry keeper Kealy is now the Offaly goalkeeping coach and described teenage forward Johnson as a “big talent” before adding that “he’s not the finished article yet”.

Despite playing in five League games Johnson cannot play in the Championship for the seniors due to a ruling in Offaly that under-20 players play at that grade only.

The Ferbane youngster has made his displeasure at the situation well known.

Kealy said: “It would be great to have him but they put a rule in place so you have to abide by that. We have what we have for Sunday and we march on with that.

“It was only in the last week or 10 days or so when it seemed it might actually be happening. But it’s not my remit to be dealing with it.

Kealy, 32, who quit the Kerry squad last year, said he never gave any serious consideration to playing for Offaly, for whom he could declare without leaving his home club Kilcummin due to the fact that his mother hails from Ballycumber in Co Offaly.

“It was mentioned a few times in a kind of joking way. I wasn’t sure myself if that actually was the case or not.

“I’m just trying to help bring it up to where it should be.

“It wasn’t really an option.”