We need to talk about Diarmuid

[Brick Tamlin]

Why would that mean the end of him as a footballer?

[nrico2006]

I didn't know Maradonna played GAA.

Never heard of "Maradonna" but I have heard of Maradona and he played football, association football. There is no such sport as GAA. There is a sport called Gaelic football however, which Connolly plays.

Your rationale for not rating Connolly as a great player is on the basis of his "temperament, character and reliability", so on the basis of that you'd also have to not rate Maradona as a great player given that he frequently let his temperament get the better of him, had a dubious character and was sent home from a World Cup for failing a drugs test and served a year's ban in 1991-92, so "reliability" wasn't his strong point.

Maradona was also the greatest association football player in history, and there have been many other great players in different sports who have had dubious "temperament, character and reliability", so your assertion as it relates to Connolly is nonsense.

Ok. Youre right.
That's how his name is spelt after all and again youre right, there is no sport called GAA.
Association Football. Great stuff.

You forgot to mention that Maradona was the greatest ever association football player.  Without a doubt.  100% fact.

[TheGreatest]

Why would that mean the end of him as a footballer?

Inter-county football, will play for club. Could switch to Hurling now while still enough time to do it.

[westbound]

IMO, the big question mark against Connolly being one of the greatest of all times is his record in All Ireland finals.

In my opinion, great players deliver most on the big day when most needed by their team.

Connolly is a fantastic footballer, no doubt, but I just think his record in AI finals leaves him a bit short of all time greatness.

He has played in 5 and a half finals (including '16 replay & '17 second half). He has scored 1-4 in those 5.5 matches and the goal was a penalty. For a top class forward his scoring return is poor enough (especially compared to the likes of Canavan or Cooper).

it's not all about scoring, it's about what else he contributes

I agree it's not all about scoring, but he has been marked out of at least two of those finals. I just think overall he hasn't contributed enough in finals to be considered an ALL TIME GREAT.

But that just my opinion. And there is no definitive list of all time greats, just people's opinions of who the all time greats are!

True, it's all about personal perception. It's hard to shine on the biggest stage when you are being marked by currently the greatest man-marker there is, they will both cancel each other out. But DC is one of the best players in the game, and has been for a number of years, that surely stands.

I think there is no question that Connolly is one of the best players currently in the game - I think it'd be hard for anyone to argue against that point.

Although, I think you are being very generous to connolly to suggest that he and Keegan cancelled each other out in the finals where they marked each other.

[Real Talk]

IMO, the big question mark against Connolly being one of the greatest of all times is his record in All Ireland finals.

In my opinion, great players deliver most on the big day when most needed by their team.

Connolly is a fantastic footballer, no doubt, but I just think his record in AI finals leaves him a bit short of all time greatness.

He has played in 5 and a half finals (including '16 replay & '17 second half). He has scored 1-4 in those 5.5 matches and the goal was a penalty. For a top class forward his scoring return is poor enough (especially compared to the likes of Canavan or Cooper).

it's not all about scoring, it's about what else he contributes

I agree it's not all about scoring, but he has been marked out of at least two of those finals. I just think overall he hasn't contributed enough in finals to be considered an ALL TIME GREAT.

But that just my opinion. And there is no definitive list of all time greats, just people's opinions of who the all time greats are!

True, it's all about personal perception. It's hard to shine on the biggest stage when you are being marked by currently the greatest man-marker there is, they will both cancel each other out. But DC is one of the best players in the game, and has been for a number of years, that surely stands.

I think there is no question that Connolly is one of the best players currently in the game - I think it'd be hard for anyone to argue against that point.

Although, I think you are being very generous to connolly to suggest that he and Keegan cancelled each other out in the finals where they marked each other.

Both good footballers with a very  'nasty streak'

[Syferus]

IMO, the big question mark against Connolly being one of the greatest of all times is his record in All Ireland finals.

In my opinion, great players deliver most on the big day when most needed by their team.

Connolly is a fantastic footballer, no doubt, but I just think his record in AI finals leaves him a bit short of all time greatness.

He has played in 5 and a half finals (including '16 replay & '17 second half). He has scored 1-4 in those 5.5 matches and the goal was a penalty. For a top class forward his scoring return is poor enough (especially compared to the likes of Canavan or Cooper).

it's not all about scoring, it's about what else he contributes

I agree it's not all about scoring, but he has been marked out of at least two of those finals. I just think overall he hasn't contributed enough in finals to be considered an ALL TIME GREAT.

But that just my opinion. And there is no definitive list of all time greats, just people's opinions of who the all time greats are!

True, it's all about personal perception. It's hard to shine on the biggest stage when you are being marked by currently the greatest man-marker there is, they will both cancel each other out. But DC is one of the best players in the game, and has been for a number of years, that surely stands.

I think there is no question that Connolly is one of the best players currently in the game - I think it'd be hard for anyone to argue against that point.

Although, I think you are being very generous to connolly to suggest that he and Keegan cancelled each other out in the finals where they marked each other.

Both good footballers with a very  'nasty streak'

Keegan's is premeditated, Connolly's is because he can't control his emotions. They come from very different places. One is intended to help his team (whatever your opinions on the means) and the other is sheer selfishness. Please don't equivocate the two.

He might be one if the most talented players in the game but even bestowing him with being one of the best may be a stretch given his unreliability and lack of end product in AI finals. Much like AOS, a lot of talk about but found wanting at key moments.

[tonto1888]

Wasn't found wanting in the second half this of this years final

[dublin7]

Wasn't found wanting in the second half this of this years final

Did you watch this years Al Ireland final Syf or were you too focusing on Andy Moran while stabbing your Andy Moran doll at the same time! 

[Gold]

DC basically won the AI for Dublin in that last move when it mattered most. He took the game by the scruff got the free  that won it

Given his court appearance and his reaction to provocation on the litch he will never be  loved by any non Dub but he is one of if not the best player currently playing the game and certainly the most talented

All time great...yes he is...main man on a team that has won 4 all Irelands.

[mrhardyannual]

I didn't know Maradonna played GAA.

Never heard of "Maradonna" but I have heard of Maradona and he played football, association football. There is no such sport as GAA. There is a sport called Gaelic football however, which Connolly plays.

Phoenetically there is no difference between Maradonna and Maradona so if you "heard" of one you must have "heard" of the other. Before you condescendingly correct another poster you might spend time correcting your own post.

On the off-chance that this is another of your efforts at humour, I'm sorry but it's lost on me as was your ignorant post re. Tony Keady's wife for which I still haven't seen an apology or retraction posted.

[westbound]

DC basically won the AI for Dublin in that last move when it mattered most. He took the game by the scruff got the free  that won it

Given his court appearance and his reaction to provocation on the litch he will never be  loved by any non Dub but he is one of if not the best player currently playing the game and certainly the most talented

All time great...yes he is...main man on a team that has won 4 all Irelands.

IMO, he wasn't the main man in those finals though, and that's why I wouldn't have him as an all time great. But to be fair, he was very good in this year's final (but only played a half).

[Lar Naparka]

For natural talent, Diarmuid is as good as I have seen and I'm going back as far as Mikey Sheehy and Matt Connors when I say this but I'd hesitate calling him one of the greatest.
He was an absolute sensation when he came on the Dublin team. He was at least as good as the young Clifford fella , the Kerry minor, but it soon became obvious that his temperament was flaky.
If h got away to a good start, he could shoot the lights out but if he was beaten to the first couple of balls or if he missed with his early shots at goal, he was off the boil for the remainder of the game.
Opposition players would set out to rattle him and, more often than not, they would succeed. A couple of dirty tackles and he'd start losing the rag. I think you need more than pure talent alone to qualify as a great player. You'd need leadership qualities where a good player would raise his game when the going became tough and inspire the others around him. GIven his notorious temper, I'd say his mates were afraid he'd get put off and he certainly did not inspire anybody, except maybe the opposition.
I'm being serious here. I once heard a radio commentator comparing him to a lighthouse in a bog: brilliant but useless.
It was obvious as time went on that the management were taking steps to help him get his temper under control and  most of the time they succeeded but I'd say all club and county managers since he started playing feel a bit uneasy, especially if he gets rattled at an early stage of the game when he hasn't settled down yet.

[Dire Ear]

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=276161
Dublin SHC: Connolly sees red for Vin's as Con nets again for Cuala
Misunderstood child!!

[magpie seanie]

http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=276161
Dublin SHC: Connolly sees red for Vin's as Con nets again for Cuala
Misunderstood child!!

Old news. Already dealt with.

[Dire Ear]

Apologies,  don't follow this all the time