“A big farmer” jokes Sligo Rovers star as he praises ex-teammate Johnny Kenny

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The Celtic Star

·16 February 2022

“A big farmer” jokes Sligo Rovers star as he praises ex-teammate Johnny Kenny

Sligo Rovers’ loss looks as if it will be Celtic’s gain in the next few years, that’s according to Greg Bolger a former Sligo teammate of Celtic’s January signing Johnny Kenny.

As Celtic signed five new players in the January transfer window Johnny Kenny joining the club may have gone under the radar somewhat, particularly with the fanfare surrounding the Hogmanay signings of Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguschi and Reo Hatate, alongside the later signing of Matt O’Riley, who has made quite the impression with his ability on the park and his incredible confidence and self-assuredness off it, as we saw when The Celtic Star spoke to the player at yesterday’s Fan media press conference.

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Bolger was full of praise for Celtic’s new striker when speaking to Pundit Arena, and believes Kenny’s family background and a willingness to soak up advice will hold him in good stead as he attempts to make the breakthrough at Celtic.

“(Johnny Kenny) would get into most teams in the league, if not all of them. We’ll miss his goals. But it’s up to other lads to step up. We’ve a good few young lads coming through from Sligo, and there’s a few who played their first games last year.” “Johnny was brilliant, a humble fella, and he came from a good background. A big farmer, but honestly, he’s a good honest, and humble guy who is willing to learn. He’s like a sponge taking in stuff from myself Garry Buckley, the manager and the management. Wrong or right he’d always take it in and on board. He’s good craic, but he was a great teammate to have, and I wish him the best now.”

Kenny’s 12 goals and two assists last season helped secure European qualification with a third-place finish in the league for Sligo Rovers and now the striker, who hasn’t been seen in action yet due to a combination if illness and injury, will be looking to transfer his Irish form to the Scottish Premiership.

Sligo Rovers Johnny Kenny celebrates scoring. Photo Evan Logan

It remains to be seen if Ange Postecoglou intends to blood Kenny in Tommy McIntyre’s B-Team for the remainder of the Lowland League season, however the player is named in the first team squad on the club website, so it could be that the manager has already seen enough to indicate Kenny may get a shot at first team football with Celtic before the season ends.

Johnny Kenny may well have arrived to less fanfare than some of the January signings but is seems he was well regarded and will be a big miss at his former club. As such Kenny will be a player worth keeping an eye out for in the weeks ahead.

Niall J