'When I came back in ‘19, I wasn’t the same player that I was in ‘17 or ‘16 or the years previous.'
IT’S CLOSING IN on 12 months since Diarmuid Connolly last laced up his boots to kick a ball. As it stands, a low-key Division 2 championship win against Ballyboughal could well mark the final football game of the St Vincent’s clubman’s career.
The six-time All-Ireland SFC winner retired from Dublin duty at the age of 33. When asked about being part of such a golden period for Dublin football, he points to the strength of the collective and says the successes he enjoyed with Vincent’s – winning All-Irelands in 2008 and 2016 – stand as the most significant achievements of his life in football. Listening to him reflect on a remarkable career, he makes it sound like it was an easy decision to step away from the intercounty game.
“I’m a private person. Sport is sport, it’s a hobby at the end of the day. I try to keep my private stuff private. Mostly that’s been respected, sometimes it hasn’t been. And that pisses me off to be honest with you. If someone did step out of line like that, they just wouldn’t get access again. That’s how it works. But no, I just… I’m a private person, I’m not mad about the media stuff. I think it has a place obviously but it wasn’t really for me.
Connolly looks at the current game and admits the focus on possession-based football doesn’t exactly get his pulse racing. He hopes Dublin can get the balance right against a Mayo side who have struggled for scores across the summer.“Dublin traditionally kick the ball, we are not seeing much of that now, it’s all possession-based stuff.
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