Johnny Kenny signed for Celtic in the January transfer window of 2022. Now the Irish under21 international is back home in Ireland playing for Shamrock Rovers, after a season-long switch to Queen’s Park was cut short at the halfway point, where appearances in the Scottish Championship, never mind goals, were hard to come by.
However, Kenny is back amongst the goals now, scoring for Rovers in their win over Dundalk on Friday evening to add to his Ireland Under 21 goal from the international break.
The 19-year-old was involved in Celtic’s pre-season plans after arriving at Celtic and having to contend with illness and injury during his first few months at the club, but with first team football hard to come by at Celtic going on loan made a great deal of sense.
While Queen’s Park didn’t work out, Shamrock Rovers, despite a slow start to the season for the club, has done so far. And Kenny as reported in Independent.ie hasn’t given up hope of realising his Celtic dream.
“I just needed to get back the form that I had pre going to Celtic when I was with Sligo Rovers. It would be nice to get back to that and better and push onto the next level. It didn’t work for the first one (loan) but we’re here now and hopefully this one will. I just need to keep doing it on the pitch and hopefully they (Celtic) will keep in touch with me.
“I was injured at the start and then trained every day with the first team, played a few B team games and played a pre-season game in the summer and that was it. That’s my aim, I want to get back there and play in the first team. That’s why I’m here.
“I played my last game (for Sligo Rovers) against Bohs in November (2021) and then don’t think I kicked a ball properly until March or April, maybe five games in eight or nine months, (it was) obviously not ideal. It might have been a setback but I’m back playing now and I love it.
“I was eager to get back playing. I joined Queens Park and it just didn’t work for whatever reasons. You can blame things but you have to look at yourself too. Probably I should have done better. I wanted to come home, I met with Stephen (Bradley) and they were the best club in the country for the last three years so I think it was a no-brainer to come. I know it wasn’t a great start for us but we’re up and running now and hopefully we can reach the heights we want to.”
Kenny scored twice for Celtic’s first team in a 7-0 win over Austrian side SC Wiener Viktoria in July. Although the opposition wasn’t much to write home about there was enough to suggest Kenny had something to offer going forward.
Whilst that may not immediately be at Celtic, Kenny has grasped the nettle, gone out on loan, not once but twice, and got himself back up to speed after some tough luck in to the first part of his Celtic career.
This lad is clearly one to keep an eye on. As whilst he may be out of sight on loan with Shamrock Rovers, he won’t be out of mind, as there is enough natural striking talent in Johnny Kenny’s locker to suggest a first team future at Celtic shouldn’t be out of the question.
Next up for Johnny Kenny is Bohemians -the league leaders- at Dalymount Park on Friday. A further extension of his goalscoring form in that one will no doubt strengthen his resolve still further to get back to Celtic and show the Celtic support what he’s all about.
Niall J
