Any lingering hopes Dublin fans had of a Diarmuid Connolly comeback seem to have evaporated with the news that he’s moving to America for the summer.
Connolly is in the process of finalising a club transfer from St Vincent’s with reports stateside suggesting he has agreed to join the Donegal Boston club in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Connolly has sporadically featured for club and county in 2018. The 30-year-old has played just half an hour’s football for Dublin in 2018. He came on to replace Michael Darragh Macauley during the 2-10 to 0-12 win over Mayo back in February and since then hasn’t played or training with his county.
The 5-time All Ireland winner last lined out in a competitive game last month, he played for St Vincent’s hurlers in the Division 1 league game against Craobh Chiaráin in Marino on May 3rd.
Connolly didn’t feature for the footballers in the early exchanges of the Dublin SFC. He was named in the starting teams for both the game against Skerries Harps and Na Fianna. He wasn’t in the squad on either occasion.
Neither manager for club or county have been able to offer any kind of explanation for the abscense of the talismanic attacker. Speaking after the win over Skerries at Parnell Park Vincent's manager Brian Mullins said:
"I don't want to add to any speculation. Diarmuid has been quite quiet himself. “Everybody is talking for him. So I want to respect his wishes that he doesn't want to be the centre of discussion or debate, and he's entitled to that.”
Jim Gavin addressed Connolly’s departure from the panel at the GAA’s media launch of the Leinster championship last month: “The situation is that Diarmuid just hasn't been available to play football and hurling with his club, and with the county as well," Gavin said.
“We respect that position, and hopefully everyone does as well. It is an amateur sport, but that said, the door will always be open for Diarmuid, and I know for sure with the club and also the county and hopefully we'll see him back playing Gaelic games soon.”
Jim Gavin will get his wish, Connolly looks set to be back playing Gaelic games before the end of the month. He won’t be donning the sky blue of Dublin, he’ll line out in the green and gold of Donegal Boston.
