Alan Dillon is 34 years old and now a married man. To many of his fledgling Mayo teammates, he might as well be a being from another realm.
Dillon has been chasing Sam Maguire with the westerners ever since John Maughan called him up as a fresh-faced 20-year-old in 2002.
He has been to the well for Mayo and claimed eight Connacht titles for them. There was All-Ireland heart-break but he kept showing up and showing opposition players up. On an individual level, he received two All Star accolades for his efforts.
All of that was topped by his marriage, earlier today, to Ashling Cunningham.
Evan Regan, who is 12 years Dillon's junior, could not resist a sly dig in his tweeted congratulations to his veteran teammate.
https://twitter.com/rego_13/status/807322438728110080
Ouch.
During an interview with
Mayo News, late last month, Dillon reflected on the two bites of the cherry his team missed out on. He said:
"You’re at an age now where you don’t have many more years left. You’re at a stage now where it’s decision time for yourself, so it’s especially really sore."
Dillon will take a short break now with his new bride and, when he is back, make a call on his inter-county career.
He definitely has another season in him - and another tilt at the Sam Maguire - no matter what his younger teammates say, or tweet.
Diarmuid Connolly makes his long overdue GAA Hour debut and talks to Colm Parkinson about everything from the black card to his rivalry with Lee Keegan and how he honed the ability to kick accurately with either foot.
