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Stupid question. Was this match a "friendly"?

It was the semi-final of the O'Byrne Cup Man of Kent, which is basically a pre-season warm-up competition for counties and colleges in Leinster. So not too much importance is attached to the results, it is more interesting from the point of view of assessing the form of individual players, particularly fringe players getting an opportunity to gain some experience.

Good choice of county to support by the way!

why would the ref book himself? Was he that bad?

He was worse! The lad with the whistle behind the Town End goal would have probably done a better job.

That's a bit harsh, thought the ref was good. Look at it this way, he was spot on on O'Flaherty's sending off and got the penalty decision correct. You could argue Brogan's sending off was harsh but by the letter of the law it was the right call. Missed the Connolly thing but then so did the majority of people until they saw the replay.

Any Ref getting that quota of big decisions right, considering how hard the game is to referee, has had a decent day at the office.

He needs to transfer to a Kildare club and I heard a rumour he was doing so, with Celbridge, but then you hear so many rumours.

Personally as a Kildare supporter I'd rather we stuck with our own, but if he lives in Kildare and plays with a Kildare club then what can you do - and lord knows we lost out badly ourselves in the past on Larry Tompkins and Shay Fahy.

If he doesn't fulfill the above criteria, I'd be shocked if he gets a transfer.

I'd agree, but I don't think ye can use the 'lord knows we lost out' in the past argument Lacey, O'Dwyer, Murphy ?

Good players all three AZ, but nowhere near in the same class as the ones I've mentioned. In my opinion we still came out on the debit side and Cork would have two less All-Irelands if it wasn't for us!

Should also note that Niall Browne from Kildare plays for Clare and Declan Brennan from Kildare was on the Derry panel... neither of them were important parts of the Kildare set-up, but then Johnston is hardly an important part of the Cavan set-up any more. Just pointing out that transfers happen all the time - Smith to Cavan, Padden to Armagh, several Dublin hurlers etc, etc.

And this current case is not as bad as, say, Thomas Walsh being lured to Wicklow, at a time when he was Carlow's best player.

Though I'd reiterate, I'd prefer we didn't pursue Johnston if that's what we're doing, particularly if he doesn't really even live in Kildare, let alone play for a Kildare club. We have plenty of good footballers. True, Johnston on top form would add something, but that doesn't make it right.

He needs to transfer to a Kildare club and I heard a rumour he was doing so, with Celbridge, but then you hear so many rumours.

Personally as a Kildare supporter I'd rather we stuck with our own, but if he lives in Kildare and plays with a Kildare club then what can you do - and lord knows we lost out badly ourselves in the past on Larry Tompkins and Shay Fahy.

If he doesn't fulfill the above criteria, I'd be shocked if he gets a transfer.