He left as the best player in Ireland. You can only assume he’s now the best player in America.
Boston, say hello to Diarmuid Connolly.
Diarmuid Connolly in Donegal colours 😱 pic.twitter.com/2xfh06tAC6
— Dublin Gaelic Fans (@DubsGAAFans) July 1, 2018
With a left foot as good as the best right foot in Gaelic football (his), vision, athleticism, five All-Irelands and some notoriety, there’s no escaping the limelight when you’re a player like Diarmuid Connolly. Not even in Massachusetts.
So Donegal Boston quickly learned a thing or two about the Dublin legend when he made his US debut on Sunday.
They learned he can ping points with the outside of his boot from anywhere on the pitch (if they didn’t already know) but they also discovered that stories will spread far and wide about Connolly, even if they’re far from the truth.
Donegal Boston, for example, beat Connemara Gaels 4-13 to 1-8. Diarmuid Connolly kicked two points on his debut.
The story that spread with an hour? That he had scored 3-8.
https://twitter.com/gaa_chat/status/1013536628206460934?s=19
Naturally, that stat was then spread on social media like wildfire.
It did a disservice to former Derry player Ciaran McFaul who was the one who bagged himself a hat-trick in the 13-a-side game.
In a team with Vincents club man Shane Carthy and a host of players with inter-county experience, Connolly is right at home.
Donegal’s Hugh Boyle mans the goals whilst his fellow county man Michael Carroll is in the middle of the field.
All-Ireland club winner Liam Silke is alongside another Derry man Niall Keenan (so impressive last year against Mayo) in the full back line.
Connolly has Lee Carr and Oisin O’Neill inside but sooner or later he mightn’t feel the need to look inside as he gets the measure of the American turf.
It’s a crying shame he’s no longer lighting up the All-Ireland championship but at least – at least – he’s still playing football.
