Cian Johnson, remember the name.
Wexford will.
Full time in Enniscorthy Offaly 3-18 Wexford 0-6. Cian Johnson 2-6
— Ferbane GAA (@ferbanegaa) April 17, 2017
It’s not easy supporting a football team when two syllables like ‘so-called’ are almost obligatorily put in front of your county’s name. Offaly are probably what they’d class as a so-called weaker county but the Faithful are a proud bunch.
Barren spells are only spells and riches don’t last forever either.
Offaly’s footballers might not have won a Leinster championship in 20 years but it doesn’t mean they don’t want to persevere and try to get back to those days. Through all the disappointment and apathy they must’ve faced in recent times, the county still thrives on the thought that anything could happen on any given Sunday.
That’s why a stalwart like Brian Darby isn’t interested in splitting the championship.
“Speaking as an Offaly man – a county that has tradition and might not be at the same level they were at a few years ago – I’d like to think that you can still progress and move up the ranks and still make an impact on the big day.
“A junior championship or an intermediate championship would take away from that, I’d say.”
They still want to compete with the best but, to do that better than they have been doing, they’re going to need reinforcements.
Cue: Cian Johnson.
48mins Goal Cian Johnson @Offaly_GAA 2-14 @OfficialWexGAA 0-5
— Mary Dunne (@maryballyfore) April 17, 2017
55mins Goal Cian Johnson @Offaly_GAA 3-17 @OfficialWexGAA 0-5
— Mary Dunne (@maryballyfore) April 17, 2017
The cavalry is arriving.
Offaly’s minor footballers advanced to the first round of the Leinster championship with a dismantling of Wexford on Easter Monday and it was Johnson who led them there with a merciless display that shot the lights out of the Model county in Enniscorthy.
The Ferbane clubman hit 2-6 from play in the preliminary clash to set up a meeting with Westmeath on Saturday in Tullamore (throw-in 3pm).
But Johnson’s talents are no big secret in Offaly, really.
Last year, he almost single-handedly guided his school to All-Ireland success in Croke Park. Kicking 1-4 of the team’s 1-6 in the final, the frightening forward guided Gallen Community School to the All-Ireland colleges senior B title and his finish for the goal was pure, natural instinct.
This is a player with pace, aggression and assassin-like precision.
It’s a player who plays with freedom and confidence.
Johnson is in his second year with the Offaly minors – he has a long way to go before he’s the finished product. But, by God, he’s on the right road.
The future is bright.
