Cian Reynolds
LEITRIM will have more than a few interested spectators from south Kildare this year after Athy’s Cian Reynolds transferred to his father’s native county.
Although the news only broke last week, the transfer was actually signed last year.
“They asked me was I interested, a good while ago now. I think we were still in the championship with Athy and I actually signed the transfer back in November,” said Reynolds.
The 21-year-old played in a Leinster minor final for Kildare in 2009 and went on to play for the under-21 side under Alan Barry in 2010 and 2012, missing out in 2011 through injury.
“My dad is from Leitrim and it’s an honour to play with Leitrim just as it was an honour to play with Kildare,” he said. “It’s not a Robbie Keane scenario where it’s a boyhood dream but I always supported them when I was younger and went to their games, as I did with Kildare. This is just how it came about and hopefully it will bring me on as a footballer,” said Reynolds, who was named man-of-the-match as Athy won the county title in 2011.
He is at pains however to point out that he is not turning his back on his own county in making the transfer and it is simply a way of improving himself as a footballer.
“It wasn’t anything to do with Kildare. Leitrim asked me if I wanted to go with them, it’s not a snub to Kildare or anything like that, it’s just an opportunity that came my way. It will be a great experience to play with an inter-county team. Not many people get that opportunity and I just said that I’d love to take it,” he said.
And it certainly won’t lead to a club transfer – Reynolds is still very much Athy through and through.
“There is no chance of me getting a club transfer, I’m staying in red, that’s for sure,” he said.
The transfer will be a source of great pride to his father Colm though. He is a Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins clubman, the most successful club in Leitrim, but Reynolds insists the decision was all his own.
“My dad wasn’t pushing me, he just told me to do what I wanted to. I like it up there though, it’s a real family feel to it. They are all nice lads up there and I am happy with my decision, and I am sure my dad is happy too that I might run out on the field some day in the green and gold,” he said.
Reynolds has been delayed in linking up with Leitirm because of his commitments with Carlow IT. He sat out last Sunday’s O’Byrne Cup defeat to Kildare with a hamstring injury but is hopeful of getting some games under his belt before heading off to his adopted county.
“Leitrim have been very good with me because I have been training with Carlow IT but I have been down four or five times at the weekend and I train during the week with the college. I’ve been injured though with a hamstring but hopefully I will get to play a bit of the O’Byrne Cup and then hopefully I’ll be playing with Leitrim,” he said.
Most of Leitrim’s focus this year will be on getting out of the basement division of the league but they have a favourable championship draw. There have a glamour trip to New York for their opening tie and they wouldn’t have to face Mayo or Galway unless they reached the final.
“We’re on the good side of the draw,” agreed Reynolds. “It’s New York first and then Sligo or Roscommon if we get over New York so we are avoiding the two big guns. Hopefully if we get a bit of a run there is a Connaught final there. The main priority though is to get out of Division 4 in the league.”
Reynolds intends to give his all during this opportunity but doesn’t rule out the possibility of returning to Kildare at some stage in the future.
“It’s always open. I’ve lived in Kildare all my life and it’s not as if I am throwing all that away. I played with Kildare underage and that was an honour. I just said that I would give this a go for a definite year and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. I can always come back and play for Athy. I know the training and the travelling are going to be tough but I am definitely going to give it one year and if it doesn’t work out I’ll have no regrets.”
