COUNTING THE COST John: Connolly hit six times before match Diarmuid: What game were you watching?
DUBLIN secretary John Costello claims Diarmuid Connolly was “struck about six times” before a Championship game this year - but it’s news to the player.
Writing in his annual report to the county convention on December 14, Costello said: “In one of our Championship games this summer one of our players - (no prizes for guessing who!) - Diarmuid Connolly, was struck about six times before the ball was even thrown in. “Okay, they were not Mike Tyson haymakers he was hit with but, nevertheless, each blow was an infraction of the rules and, worse still, happened right under the gaze of one of the referee’s linesmen.
“At most breaks in play, this action continued with the perpetrator turning his back to the play and repeatedly striking Diarmuid, with one intention only, i.e. provoking a reaction that may get him in card trouble. The linesman’s attention was brought to it but again no action taken.”
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s AIB Leinster club final in which he will captain St Vincent’s against Rhode, Connolly said: “Not that I remember anyway. I don’t know what game he was looking at. Some lad hit me six times before the ball was thrown in? Maybe it did happen, I don’t know.”
Connolly continued: “We’ve spoken about this before. It’s part of the game. It’s a physical game. Opponents go toe-to-toe with each other. I wouldn’t call it targeting as such.
“If it’s within the rules of the game, fair enough. If it’s not, then it should be dealt with by the officials. That’s all we are asking for really, isn’t it?
“At the same time isn’t it a testament to your own skills that somebody needs to step out of line to curtail you? That’s a compliment really.”
In his wide-ranging report, Costello also questioned Dublin receiving just six football All-star awards.
He wrote: “It would be remiss not to suggest that Dublin were a bit harshly judged in receiving just six awards after a season which saw Jim Gavin’s men go unbeaten through the League, Leinster Championship and All-ireland Series, to secure back-to-back All-irelands.
“It was somewhat mystifying that some players who were not always present be it through being subbed in games, black-carded, or more general card trouble or simply not being picked in the first place, were attributed the same rating as if they had been always present, while players who played consistently were down-graded by dint of not delivering a flawless performance on some occasions.”
In this instance, Connolly agreed and said that teammate Stephen Cluxton should have got the nod for the goalkeeping spot ahead of Mayo’s David Clarke.
He said: “I thought Stephen was harshly judged on probably a poor 10 minutes in the whole year. He’s the best goalkeeper in Dublin, he’s changed Gaelic football so he’s probably one that missed out.
“His ball retention stats are actually frightening, 90% in most games, if not 100%, so what more do you want from a goalkeeper, but to keep possession of the ball?”