Seanie Johnston admits Kildare transfer was a mistake…

Seanie Johnston admits Kildare transfer was a mistake and reveals the torment of having to face his native Cavan

It was one of the most controversial sagas in the history of the GAA and the man at the centre of it now admits he regrets the whole debacle.

In 2012, Seanie Johnston’s inter-county transfer from Cavan to Kildare, then managed by Kieran McGeeney, caused a stir across Ireland and Johnston ended up lining out against his native county in the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers that summer.

Speaking on the BBC’s GAA Social Podcast, Johnston revealed how the high-profile incident led to him developing a gambling issue and spoke in depth about how badly the transfer furore affected his family.

"In my life, in Ireland, in Cavan, this was just a mad time, it was a mad time,” said Johnston.

"I think the most important point for me to say, and it's probably something I haven't been forthcoming enough with, is to say that looking back now, I was wrong in a lot of things I did. It's probably taken until nearly 2023 to admit it.

"At that stage, I was 25 or 26 years of age at time, I had worked my backside off, in my head, to be the best player I could possibly be and I got too big for my boots, is the first main thing I would like to say.

“I was badly hurt and my ego was massively hit I would say. Then you get into a situation where things start spiralling."

Being dropped from the Cavan squad by then-then manager Val Andrews led to Johnston playing two minutes of a hurling game for St Kevin’s in order to be eligible to line out for McGeeney’s Lilywhites.

Seanie Johnston, pictured with Kieran McGeeney in the background, lined out for Kildare against his native Cavan in the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers in 2012 (@Inpho)

Johnston feels there was a correlation between developing a gambling problem and the public outcry about his switch from Cavan to Kildare.

"When I was gambling I wasn't thinking of the transfer,” said Johnston.

“I don't feel it is an issue for me now, maybe that's naive of me, but I wouldn't go into a bookies, like. But I was playing blackjack for crazy amounts of money. 200 euros a hand.

“And the problem with online gambling is that it goes out of your account straight away but it doesn't go into it for about three days when you win, so I spent the whole time looking at my online banking account going, 'Oh my God', because it's all going down until eventually you win and that won't go in for a couple of days. Yeah, a dark time I'd say."

The issue was exacerbated when, as fate would have it, Kildare were drawn away to Cavan in the second round of the 2012 Qualifiers.

McGeeney’s side would claim a facile 3-20 to 1-9 win in Breffni Park with Johnston coming off the bench inside the closing 10 minutes and kicking a late free.

Yet, he pondered if he should have asked McGeeney not to play him and revealed that his family left the country prior to the game.

"The regret is around my family and how difficult it was for them," said Johnston, who is now in charge of Monaghan champions Ballybay.

"My parents left the country for that match. There were reporters outside the house, there were people following me down the road from the house where I was living in Kildare down to work - it was just manic.

"This was a big event. There were 15,000 people there for a Qualifier.

"I just became a sideshow, and the reality for me was I was out of football for a year-and-a-half. You convince yourself that you are ready but I was miles away and I was off the pace.

"Putting yourself in my scenario then, could you imagine if I had said no to Kieran McGeeney? What would he have been thinking?

"Do I look back and wish he hadn't have put me on? Yeah.

"One thing my father did say to me: 'Look, this will go to the grave with you so you better be ready for it'.

"He was right. It is probably a very strong way of thinking but I wouldn't say he was wrong."

READ NEXT:

Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.

Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here