Johnny Kenny outlines role Rodgers played in his Celtic breakthrough moment
Johnny Kenny has hailed the role that Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers played in his big breakthrough moment on Wednesday night.
Kenny marked his first ever start for the club with a goal in the Scottish champions' 5-1 win away to Aberdeen, while his fellow Irishman Adam Idah came off the bench to net his 20th of the season.
For the 21-year-old Sligo native, and a former Sligo Rovers striker, it was another highlight in a campaign packed with memories.
But up to now, most of his golden moments came on this side of the Irish Sea with League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers, where his five Europa Conference League goals took the Hoops on a historic run.
He returned to Celtic in January and made his Scottish Premiership bow in a 4-1 win away to Ross County.
More substitute appearances followed against Dundee, Raith, Dundee United, St Mirren, Rangers and Hibernian.
However, Rodgers handed the youngster his first start when Celtic headed to Aberdeen earlier this week - and Kenny was thrilled to repay his club boss with a goal.
'The gaffer's been unbelievable with me since I came back,' he told Celtic TV. 'I knew I had to be patient and I trusted him in what he said, and he's been absolutely second to none.
'Every day, even though I haven't been playing that much, he's been there to try and make me a better player and he has definitely made me a better player.
'The confidence he gives me is amazing and thankfully I repaid him on Wednesday night.'
Kenny is already looking towards Saturday's game at home to St Mirren, which takes place a week before they face Aberdeen again, this time in the Scottish Cup final.
'Obviously we want to win the game on Saturday and we've got our own targets to hit before we finish,' he said, 'but winning's the best feeling in the world, and once you win, you just want to win and win and win. That's what this club is built on.'
Reflecting, meanwhile, on his goal, a header from Luke McCowan's cross early in the second-half, he said: 'I'm delighted to come in and contribute in that way.
'It's the stuff of dreams - as a young Irish lad to come here and get my first start and to score is special.'
'Luke's very good and he was on his left foot, and I knew he was going to hang it in there, so I just needed to get across the defender and hit the target.
'If you do that you've always got a chance, and thankfully it went where I wanted it to go.'
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Irish Examiner
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