Connolly has all eyes on him as Vincent’s roll on
THE clock at the golf club end of Parnell Park read 49 minutes 20 seconds when Diarmuid Connolly finally returned to football action at home with St Vincent’s.
The Dublin star was on the pitch for almost 20 minutes in total and, in doing so, inched closer to an inter-county return.
The five-time All-Ireland winner replaced Eamonn Fennell, who shot 0-3 from play, as the Dublin SFC title holders roared through to the last four of the competition with a 1-21 to 1-9 win over Ciarán Kilkenny’s Castleknock.
It was Connolly’s first piece of club football action since last November’s Leinster Club SFC defeat to Rathnew in Aughrim.
In good shape after helping Donegal Boston to a championship title in the US, the 31-yearold immediately dropped deep to prevent a Castleknock score.
He settled in around midfield and was involved in a point that former Mayo forward Enda Varley scored in the facile win.
Afterwards, Connolly declined to comment on his competitive comeback having quit the Dublin panel after making just one appearance as a sub in the National League last February.
Vincent’s manager Brian Mullins was equally coy and simply nodded when asked if they were happy to have the play-maker back. ‘Ah yeah, we are yeah,’ said Mullins.
The former Dublin midfielder also gave little away when asked if Connolly had been training much.
‘I imagine he has, yeah,’ said Mullins. ‘He’s back from Boston probably three weeks now.’
It was reported that Connolly returned to club training midweek and Mullins nodded again at the suggestion that he looked in good shape. ‘You can see that,’ he said.
Clearly, neither player nor manager were interested in discussing the finer points of Connolly’s situation with a giant question mark over his county status for 2019.
He’ll have another opportunity to impress on Sunday, October 14 when back-to-back champions Vincent’s play St Jude’s in the semi-finals. Former All-Ireland club champions Ballyboden St Enda’s and Kilmacud Crokes will meet in the second semi-final.
Connolly was the subject of an intense focus all afternoon and his introduction drew the loudest cheer of the afternoon.
He wore Dublin tracksuit bottoms before his introduction and county supporters will hope to see him wear them again in 2019 as the Dubs bid for history and a fifth consecutive All-Ireland.
Vincent’s had a shaky start when conceding 1-1 in what was a repeat of the 2016 final but led 1-9 to 1-6 at half-time and dominated the second half. Club legend and former Dublin attacker Tomás Quinn hit 1-6 in total.
Meanwhile, Slaughtneil made it six Derry SHC titles in a row when seeing off Banagher 2-12 to 0-10 in the county decider with Brian Cassidy and Cormac O’Doherty contributing 1-2 each.
Dual stars Chrissy McKaigue and Brendan Rodgers were also on the mark in front of over 2,500 in Owenbeg as the south Derry side built on a 1-6 to 0-5 half-time lead.
In the Down SHC final, a late Conor Woods cameo yielded 1-1 and helped Ballycran to a 2-13 to 1-14 victory over Portaferry.
Knockbridge overcame St Fechins 4-12 to 1-9 in the Louth SHC final with second-half goals from Gerry McKeown and Ronan Mulholland proving crucial.
Wolfe Tones edged Clonguish Gaels 1-11 to 0-10 in the Longford SHC final.