Mulholland yet to speak to Kavanagh

Galway manager Alan Mulholland said he was as surprised as anyone to hear former Kildare star James Kavanagh could be transferring to Galway club Milltown.

And he refused to rule out making an approach the powerful forward, providing he could make a difference to the Galway panel and that the move suited both parties.

Kavanagh (27) stunned the GAA community last week by opting out of Kieran McGeeney's Kildare squad because of 'personal reasons'.

He is believed to be building a new house in the parish of Milltown, just a few miles from where he received his education at the football nursery in St Jarlath's College, Tuam, with a transfer to the club also expected.

But Mulholland was still a little in the dark about Kavanagh's move and whether a county transfer was on the cards to coincide with his club move.

“To be honest I haven't talked to him. That's basically it. I was as surprised as anyone to hear the news,” said Mulholland, who led Galway U-21s to the All-Ireland title in 2011.

“But I am not sure of his personal circumstances, I am not sure why he left the Kildare panel. I believe he is still living in Dublin and has not moved to Milltown yet.

“Maybe his house is not ready yet, but maybe he wants a break from inter-county football. But as of now the news was as much a surprise to me as everyone else.”

On the back of the retirement of Padraic Joyce and Joe Bergin, speculation linking the Ballymore Eustace club-man with a move to the Tribesmen has intensified.

But Mullholland claims he wouldn't entertain such a swoop unless Kavanagh could really make an impact on his squad. 

“He is a good player alright, he is a good player. But we have a lot of good players here. What we want people in our panel is players that are going to make a difference.

“If he is going to make a difference then we'll have a look at him. But that has to be the criteria for us to do anything,” said the former Galway defender.