GAA Championship final takes precedence for family of Celtic star ahead of top of the table clash
Johnny Kenny (Image: Jonathan Moscrop/Getty Images)He might be eyeing a starring role in a box office top-of-the-table clash at Tynecastle. But Johnny Kenny won’t even take top billing in his own family on Sunday afternoon. The Celtic striker is hoping to get the nod to lead the line for the Hoops against Hearts.But back home in Ireland there’s a bigger occasion for the Kenny clan as his three brothers line up in the Sligo Club Championship Gaelic football final. Ciaran, Niall and Patrick will run out for Shamrock Gaels as they tackle Coolera-Strandhill for the silverware and county bragging rights.It’s a huge deal in the tiny village of Riverstown where Kenny still calls home as Gaels haven’t won the championship in 33 years. In fact he flew back for the first clash between rivals that ended all square with Ciaran on the scoresheet a fortnight ago. Now he’s hoping for a beautiful Sunday family double with the Sligo showdown on at 3pm shortly after full-time at Tynecastle.But as he focuses on his own massive afternoon in a title tussle, Kenny knows he’ll have to go it alone as Brendan Rodgers’ side look to cut the gap on Hearts at the top of the table. He said: “No, my family won’t be over this time. My brothers have a Gaelic final for the first time in 33 years so they’re on the top of the list this weekend!“It’s a Sligo Club Championship final. Three of my brothers will play, Ciaran, Niall and Patrick, so they’re the priority this weekend. I was there two weeks ago, but it ended a draw so this is now a replay.“Look, I can’t wait for Tynecastle so I wouldn’t change that. But it’s on at three o’clock so hopefully I’ll watch it on the bus home – with two positive results. The support for me from back home is like any small village in Ireland.“We are a Celtic-supporting family. I wouldn’t say we’re staunch but we’re good supporters and my family and my village in Riverstown all support me. I wouldn’t say I get hero’s reception when I go home but it’s always a happy moment for me when I go home and see everyone supporting me.”Back in Glasgow. Celtic are in the unusual position of chasing Hearts at the top of the Premiership as they head along the M8 for the high-noon showdown. Derek McInnes’ rampant leaders have won seven and drawn one of their opening eight games and belief is growing in the west of Edinburgh that a title challenge could be brewing.Johnny Kenny(Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)But while Kenny has full respect for the Jambos boss and his players, he insists the Hoops are only focusing on themselves as they look to show the real Celtic in the capital. Asked if it was strange to see Hearts clear at the top, he said: “Is it strange? They’re a brilliant team, brilliant manager.“We just need to go there and bring the real Celtic. It’s a massive game so early in the season. If we win it’s down to two points. We need to go and take the game to them.“I haven’t been to Tynecastle, so I’m looking forward to the atmosphere. I think it’s going to be electric, obviously, as they’re doing so well. But to play here at Celtic Park, this is one of the best atmospheres in the world, so we’ll be well able to play.”Kenny was thrown on after just four minutes of Thursday’s 2-1 win over Sturm Graz after Kelechi Iheanacho pulled up with a hamstring. It was only his sixth appearance of the season. But any Hoops fan thinking the 22-year-old wasn’t ready for European football would be mistaken.Kenny fired seven goals on loan at Shamrock Rovers in Champions League qualifiers and the Conference League last season as the Irish side blitzed through to the knockout stages of the latter before being knocked out on penalties by Molde.And it’s an experience that has filled the Ireland Under-21 international with belief that he belongs on the big stage – along with his daily lessons learning from Iheanacho and Daizen Maeda.He said: “When I came on Thursday the manager just said: ‘Go, you’ve been very good in training’. Obviously, I have a great history in Europe before so he said: ‘Just go and show that again’.“I know I have to be ready at all times. You never know what’s going to happen in a game so you have to be ready to come in and try to affect the game. I’ve waited my time now for an opportunity. I need to go and take it now.“It’s amazing learning from probably two of the best strikers in the league. Just everyday learning and, once you get opportunities, trying to replicate what they do. Have I improved working with them? Yeah, 100 per cent.“Working with the manager and the coaches too, I think it’s brought me on leaps and bounds since I came back here. I think I’m a different player. Hopefully, I can show that.“We obviously do a lot of finishing. Since I came back, my shooting has gone up so many gears. Hopefully, now I can take it from training into the games.”Kenny signed a new deal at Parkhead in the summer which takes him through to the summer of 2029. Now he admits it’s payback time. He said: “It’s a massive confidence boost.“It’s the club committing to me for another few years and I now need to go and show them why they’re giving me that now. The manager’s been very clear with me since I came back, really. Through the summer, he was keen on me to stay and I was keen to stay and work under him and his staff.”
