Connolly, who made his Championship debut for Dublin 14 days ahead of Brogan in 2007, has rarely been one for PR. They haven’t both started a Championship game for Dublin since the drawn final of 2016. Some have argued that while Dublin continue to win All-Irelands, they’ve lacked a spark of creativity and a vital x-factor without them. It’s certainly not the swashbuckling Dublin of 2013 when they were at their most exciting and free-spirited. “The player I’d rate as the best footballer at the moment in Ireland is Diarmuid Connolly,” said Brogan then.

Source: Irish Examiner July 19, 2019 04:07 UTC