National Forum

Diarmuid Connolly

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Connolly continued absence from the panel is starting to get a bit concerning. Reported he missed medal presentation, team holiday. The explanation from Jim that he is resting up doesnt make sense unless he is injured? Has he fallen out of favour? Will we see him in 2018? Hope to god we see him against M9naghan and Galway before championship kicks off.

jacktheDub (Dublin) - Posts: 944 - 19/03/2018 10:19:53    2085677

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Apologies I thought I opened this on the Dublin page...was wondering if any Dub fans are hearing anything in the background?

jacktheDub (Dublin) - Posts: 944 - 19/03/2018 10:30:55    2085687

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Replying To jacktheDub:  "Apologies I thought I opened this on the Dublin page...was wondering if any Dub fans are hearing anything in the background?"
Connolly was in the stands with Mossy and C Whelan for the Donegal game watching it

Not sure he'd be doing that if he wasn't attached to the team. If there is song going on I'm confident it will be dealt with but I honestly don't think it is.

Maybe Connolly didn't want to attend the team holiday and medal presentation because he felt he might have let the team down and playing so little football he may not not felt justified to be there?

I've yet to see Connolly at a homecoming with Sam.

We've also barely seen Philly, Paul Flynn, Kev Mc etc so there is definitely a rest process in motion

With the Super 8's this year and already being impacted badly to date with long term injuries to key players! It will be a brave decision by Jim to let Connolly go and considering the effort he went to in order to defend Connolly, I'll take his word for it.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 19/03/2018 11:00:29    2085713

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Is there a chance that Connolly wouldn't make the starting line up this year even if he is fully fit? The Dublin half forward line of Killkenny, O'Callaghan and Mannion were brilliant last year and cant see any of those lads being dropped. I guess Gavin could move Mannion to the full forward line to accomodate Connolly.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1876 - 19/03/2018 12:37:21    2085770

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What absence he played in Castlebar three weeks ago.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 19/03/2018 12:58:34    2085781

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No offence to the Dubs but he really isn't the be all and end all. They can win it without him. Don't think he will start during the summer to be honest, not sure Gavin fancies him anymore for the big games.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7907 - 19/03/2018 13:23:07    2085795

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "No offence to the Dubs but he really isn't the be all and end all. They can win it without him. Don't think he will start during the summer to be honest, not sure Gavin fancies him anymore for the big games."
Much rather have him would not have beaten Mayo without his contribution in last year's final

jacktheDub (Dublin) - Posts: 944 - 19/03/2018 13:44:46    2085810

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "No offence to the Dubs but he really isn't the be all and end all. They can win it without him. Don't think he will start during the summer to be honest, not sure Gavin fancies him anymore for the big games."
Think he's going to have to do well to get back in the starting xv, especially with the way Scully and Howard have been playing in the half forward line the last few games, Kilkenny is nailed down to start and O'Callaghan will be coming back. So it's a big ask for him

Hill16Army (Dublin) - Posts: 88 - 19/03/2018 14:07:21    2085819

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Connolly is the man for the biggest games. All grand saying other Dublin forwards are playing well in March but it's still March, a time for trying out potential seniors. August and September is Connolly time.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7360 - 19/03/2018 14:17:29    2085827

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Connolly is one of the best players of his generation and he has plenty left to offer Dublin still, I think he'll be back in the starting 15 for Championship, Dublin are a worse team without him.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 2756 - 19/03/2018 14:27:39    2085831

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Connolly is one of the best forwards in the game (if not the best) over the last number of years. You don't get forwards like that coming thru every year, on any team.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 19/03/2018 15:48:15    2085859

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Replying To jacktheDub:  "Much rather have him would not have beaten Mayo without his contribution in last year's final"
Listen he is a class player and would walk into the Mayo team but the rush to laud him for minor contributions compared to other players over the last few years is annoying at times. I genuinely haven't seen him have a huge impact on the biggest days for a long time now. I don't think his fans acknowledge that.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7907 - 19/03/2018 16:11:43    2085871

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I'd say you'll see Connolly back in the not too distant future.
Gavin giving game time to a lot of guys who are probably doing there apprenticeships and it's likely he'll reintroduce more established names as summer hots up.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 19/03/2018 16:43:37    2085883

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Big talk in Galway yesterday that Jim has dropped him from the panel. Also a rumour that he is not training with the team at all. It may all be BS but one thing is for sure the 'resting him' line is hogwash. Unconvincing answer from Jim yesterday when asked if DC would play in either of remaining two league games. Something's wrong for sure and just hope it's sorted for the summer.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 19/03/2018 16:44:25    2085884

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Listen he is a class player and would walk into the Mayo team but the rush to laud him for minor contributions compared to other players over the last few years is annoying at times. I genuinely haven't seen him have a huge impact on the biggest days for a long time now. I don't think his fans acknowledge that."
He has maybe not contributed on the scoreboard but in so many other ways. Go back to 2011 final and look at the last 10 minutes where he held up and laid off ball when we needed to control the game, moving then to the famous free under the Hill off the left foot to even this year.

But I reckon he is waiting for the special sun glasses to be finished becuase at this stage if he looks at someone he is going to get a card

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 19/03/2018 16:54:45    2085889

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Replying To witnof:  "He has maybe not contributed on the scoreboard but in so many other ways. Go back to 2011 final and look at the last 10 minutes where he held up and laid off ball when we needed to control the game, moving then to the famous free under the Hill off the left foot to even this year.

But I reckon he is waiting for the special sun glasses to be finished becuase at this stage if he looks at someone he is going to get a card"
Listen as I said nobody ever doubted how gifted he is but your post says it all, you reference a game from 7 years ago. My point again is at the moment he is not at the top of the list of the Dublin forwards anymore and I wouldn't know what his attitude is like but this notion that he is picked out by officials to card for nothing is also laughable. Connolly fans are unshakeable in their allegiance to him, it's remarkable. I would say he isn't the most straightforward person to deal with behind the scenes, and Gavin probably thinks he can do it without him.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7907 - 19/03/2018 17:04:21    2085892

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Listen as I said nobody ever doubted how gifted he is but your post says it all, you reference a game from 7 years ago. My point again is at the moment he is not at the top of the list of the Dublin forwards anymore and I wouldn't know what his attitude is like but this notion that he is picked out by officials to card for nothing is also laughable. Connolly fans are unshakeable in their allegiance to him, it's remarkable. I would say he isn't the most straightforward person to deal with behind the scenes, and Gavin probably thinks he can do it without him."
I thought last seasons final was actually his best, I thought he destroyed Mayo in the second half and won the game for Dublin, very few players can make that boast, all my opinion of course.

Wonderful footballer.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 19/03/2018 22:58:43    2086068

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Replying To TheUsername:  "I thought last seasons final was actually his best, I thought he destroyed Mayo in the second half and won the game for Dublin, very few players can make that boast, all my opinion of course.

Wonderful footballer."
Ah come on, was involved in 3 plays, one pass, a point and he was fouled for the winner. Bit if a stretch to say he was the difference, he made a difference yes, won the game for Dublin? No.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7907 - 20/03/2018 09:59:32    2086122

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Ah come on, was involved in 3 plays, one pass, a point and he was fouled for the winner. Bit if a stretch to say he was the difference, he made a difference yes, won the game for Dublin? No."
I have to disagree mate, when he came on in the second half he had the freedom of Croke Park and took on playmaking duties with Keegan man marking Kilkenny.

He won the game for Dublin in my opinion and was the king maker in the second half.

Its all about opinions of course. But for me it was his most effective performance in the five finals he has won.

I think the assessment of him as a forward is a bit narrow, he is definitely not a player like Andy Moran or Bernard Brogan who can score five or six in a game. He is more of a technical player, with play making abilities and he also takes two opposition players out of a game, he is also so cool under pressure. What doesnt get acknowledged is the amount of work he gets through defensively in my opinion.

Look we are both entitled to our opinons, but I suppose when you reality test it look at the last two finals, he was key to tipping the balance for Dublin, in 2016 with Keegan dragging him down and the penalty and last year he was the key playmaker for Dublin as you say the phases of play he was involved in were key to coming home with the championship (but for me he was more influential then you say).

To have a player who can do the above is the difference in winning and narrowly missing out in my opinion.

I would agree with you that he is probably a bit of an enigma to manage etc, but most genius's are, hes a maverick and has already had a career the envy of anyone who played the game and has the right to say to anyone who questions him, put your medals on the table.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 20/03/2018 10:20:22    2086140

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Replying To TheUsername:  "I have to disagree mate, when he came on in the second half he had the freedom of Croke Park and took on playmaking duties with Keegan man marking Kilkenny.

He won the game for Dublin in my opinion and was the king maker in the second half.

Its all about opinions of course. But for me it was his most effective performance in the five finals he has won.

I think the assessment of him as a forward is a bit narrow, he is definitely not a player like Andy Moran or Bernard Brogan who can score five or six in a game. He is more of a technical player, with play making abilities and he also takes two opposition players out of a game, he is also so cool under pressure. What doesnt get acknowledged is the amount of work he gets through defensively in my opinion.

Look we are both entitled to our opinons, but I suppose when you reality test it look at the last two finals, he was key to tipping the balance for Dublin, in 2016 with Keegan dragging him down and the penalty and last year he was the key playmaker for Dublin as you say the phases of play he was involved in were key to coming home with the championship (but for me he was more influential then you say).

To have a player who can do the above is the difference in winning and narrowly missing out in my opinion.

I would agree with you that he is probably a bit of an enigma to manage etc, but most genius's are, hes a maverick and has already had a career the envy of anyone who played the game and has the right to say to anyone who questions him, put your medals on the table."
Yep we will agree to disagree. You also stated Kilkenny was the best player in the country. He was absolutely roasted by Keegan on the biggest day of them all. So I won't agree with that either! Kilkenny is excellent but if you gave me the choice of 3 Dublin players he wouldn't be one of them.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7907 - 20/03/2018 10:37:33    2086146

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