When reports emerged in September suggesting Celtic were hot on the trail of two up-and-coming Irishmen you could almost hear the faint jangle of alarm bells from across the Irish Sea.
After all, Celtic Park has hardly been fertile ground for Ireland’s best and brightest in recent times.
Republic of Ireland U21 international Armstrong Oko-Flex jumped at the chance to leave Celtic for West Ham in the summer after making just two Premiership appearances in green-and-white hoops.
Jonathan Afolabi and Lee O’Connor have found it equally difficult to make a name for themselves in Scotland.
Meanwhile, there are more sightings of the Loch Ness Monster than there are of Luca Connell these days – the 20-year-old forgotten man who turned down a host of Premier League clubs in favour of a move north of the border in 2019.
And that’s without mentioning Liam Scales, left out of Celtic’s last three match-day squads just weeks after leaving Shamrock Rovers for what’s understood to be a League of Ireland record fee.
Why did Johnny Kenny decide not to join Celtic?
But, to the delight of many on the other side of the Irish Sea, 18-year-old Johnny Kenny won’t be going the way of Scales, Connell or Oko-Flex. The forward has signed a three-year deal with Sligo Rovers while scuppering Celtic’s hopes of a January deal.
“We’ve seen a player of real character, someone you can rely on, and with buckets of ability,” beamed Sligo manager Liam Buckley. “He will be the jewel in our crown.”
“When I signed my first contract ten months ago, I was just hoping to get a chance. To start 20 games and score nine goals has been unreal,” adds Kenny, reflecting in the Mirror on what has been an outstanding start to life in senior football.
“I really couldn’t have imagined how things have gone.
“I’ve signed a three-year contract as I know this is my club and I love being here. I want to achieve a lot here if I can and I’m delighted to know that commitment is in place.”
The Irish Independent believes Drogheda United’s Killian Phillips is also on Celtic’s radar. It remains to be seen whether the 19-year-old is willing to take a leaf out of his fellow teenager’s book and stay put for the time being.
Here’s what some Sligo Rovers supporters on Twitter had to say about Johnny Kenny’s new contract and those Celtic links:
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