Offaly forward Cian Johnson won't be allowed to play against Wicklow in the Leinster SFC opener this weekend - because he's too young.

Offaly County Board passed a ruling in September that blocks players under 20 from featuring for the Faithful seniors in the championship. Instead, they can only play U20 championship football. Thus, Leaving Cert student Johnson (18) - who scored six points from play against Dublin in the O'Byrne Cup and figured prominently in the national league - is ineligible for this year's Leinster SFC.

It's a frustrating situation for the teenager, who is wanted by senior manager Stephen Wallace but remains unavailable due to an unusual internal ruling within the county.

"I'm very disappointed. The rule leaves it up to individual counties to decide for themselves, to allow the respective managements to decide," he comments in The Irish Independent.

"Down in Kerry, David Clifford and Sean O'Shea are U20 but Kerry are prioritising the senior team and they're allowed play senior championship because they're good enough and they've come to an agreement. It was a big commitment for me to take on. I'm doing the Leaving Cert and I wanted to play so much for the seniors. I've been balancing school work and playing for Offaly.

"The training schedule for the senior team meant I wasn't with the U20 team all year. I've only played two challenge matches with the U20s. I've been training three to four times a week with the seniors, I've played all the O'Byrne Cup games, five out of seven league games.

"Stephen made it clear to me that he wants me to play against Wicklow, that turned my head completely. As far as I know, Offaly are the only county that have decided to bring in their own rule that if you are U20, you must play U20."

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