Mickey Harte believes Diarmuid Connolly is a much better player than he was six years ago when he scored seven points from play in Dublin's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final defeat of Tyrone.

The St. Vincent's ace, who is free to face the Red Hands in tomorrow week's All-Ireland SFC semi-final after serving a three-month suspension for pushing linesman Ciaran Branagan during Dublin's Leinster first round win over Carlow, was in unstoppable form that afternoon as the Dubs powered to a 0-22 to 0-15 victory en route to ending a 16-year wait for the Sam Maguire.

"He's a Connolly-plus now from 2011, which means that we've got to be very careful! Probably at that stage, he hadn't developed as much power as he has now," the Tyrone manager said at a press conference yesterday.

"Obviously you would be a fool to dismiss the influence that Diarmuid Connolly can have on any game - and has had over many years.

"He's absolutely a quality player, and has developed even into a better player than he was than when he first came on the scene, where he had all the natural talent and skill and ability. But he's a powerful player now along with that as well.

"Jim Gavin will decide how and when we see him, and in what context. So I really can't say much about the detail, but I know for sure that he's certainly a strength that Dublin didn't have in their games since he got that [suspension]."

Harte is particularly wary of Connolly's ability to score from long range.

"With either foot he can kick the ball over from 45-plus yards. So, yes, that is a serious weapon to have in your armoury. And yes, he is as good as anybody at doing that," he added.

"He's two-footed, comfortable on either side and physically imposing - he's not a small guy. He's got a lot of the attributes that you would love to have in a player - all that natural talent and ability... size and power for the modern game."

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