Diarmuid Connolly has had some recent run of success.
Since 2013 he has won two senior All-Irelands with Dublin, three Leinster titles and three Allianz League titles (and an O’Byrne Cup), while with his club St Vincent’s he has won an All-Ireland club crown, two Leinster club titles and two Dublin senior championships.
In other words he has won pretty much everything he has competed in bar the 2014 All-Ireland football Championship and last year’s All-Ireland club football championship (plus two O’Byrne Cups).
On Sunday afternoon St Vincent’s will look to keep this run of success going and record a third straight Dublin SFC title by beating Ballyboden St Enda’s in Parnell Park.
Since the Marino powerhouse recorded two three in a rows during their domination of the 1970s, only Thomas David (1989-91) and Na Fianna (1999-2001) have managed the feat.
While they have leaked goals in their last two matches, against Lucan and Na Fianna, St Vincent’s have looked imperious in attack – with Ruairi Traynor, Joe Feeney and the evergreen Mossy Quinn assisting top-scorer Connolly as they breezed past Na Fianna in the semi-final, 0-22 to 2-9.
Ballyboden did not have quite as smooth a passage to Sunday’s decider, requiring a late cameo from senior hurler David “Dotsy” O’Callaghan to negotiate a 0-12 to 0-10 win over Clontarf.
The southside outfit were not aided by the first half dismissal of 2013 footballer of the year Michael Darragh Macauley, the midfielder picking up a black card on top of an earlier booking.
Chasing a first title since 2009, Ballyboden may have to up their scoring rate if they are to stop Vincent’s creating history.
Dublin’s success at senior intercounty level creates a chaotic backlog every year, with a mad rush to finish both the football and hurling championships before the provincial club championships begin in earnest.
Saturday’s hurling decider pits Dalkey’s Cuala against St Jude’s, who were a puck of a ball away from claiming a first county title against Kilmacud Crokes last year.
Cuala won three titles in six years between 1989 and 1994, but with a resurgence driven by county stars like the Schutte brothers and sharp-shooter David Treacy, they are now appearing in their second final in four years.
Weekend club fixtures
Saturday October 31st
Dublin SHC final
Cuala v St Jude’s, Parnell Park, 3pm
Sunday November 1st
Munster club SFC quarter-final
Clonmel Commericials (Tipperary) v Newcastlewest (Limerick), Clonmel Sportsfield, 2pm
Ulster club SFC quarter-finals
Crossmaglen Rangers (Armagh) v Cargin (Antrim), Athletic Grounds, 2.30pm
Kingscourt (Cavan) v Kilcoo (Down), Breffni Park, 2.30pm
Naomh Conaill (Donegal) v Trillick (Tyrone), MacCumhaill Park, 2.30pm
Scotstown (Monaghan) v Slaughtneil (Derry), Clones, 2.30pm
Dublin SFC final
Ballyboden St Enda’s v St Vincent’s, Parnell Park, 4pm
Leinster club SHC quarter-finals
St Mullin’s (Carlow) v Clonkill (Westmeath), Netwatch Cullen Park, 2pm
Clough-Ballacolla (Laois) v Oulart The Ballagh (Wexford), O’Moore Park, 2pm
London SHC final
Robert Emmetts v St Gabriels, Ruislip, 2pm
