GAELIC FOOTBALL:Seán Johnston's transfer from Cavan to Kildare moved a step closer yesterday when the Central Appeals Committee ordered the Central Competitions Control Committee to rehear the application and grant it.

The CAC was responding to a request from the CCCC for clarification of the decision to allow the player’s appeal against the refusal of his transfer two weeks ago. It was open to the CAC to a) annul the CCCC’s decision and declare the matter closed, b) send it back for rehearing or c) substitute its own decision – and it chose the second option with a direction that the transfer be allowed.

CCCC meet next on Tuesday night and will consider the matter further and may decide to conclude the matter as directed.

If however it feels sufficiently strongly about the rejection of its decision – which was reached on the basis that Johnston hadn’t satisfactorily proved his residence was in Kildare and that the move was contrary to the GAA’s community ethos – it may seek to refer the matter to the GAA’s independent arbitration body, the Disputes Resolution Authority.