Diarmuid Connolly dismisses rumours he may switch to hurling

Diarmuid Connolly has comprehensively put down the rumours that he may switch from playing for the Dublin footballers to the Dublin hurlers after the appointment of Pat Gilroy as the county's hurling manager.

The 30-year-old played for Dublin in hurling at underage level all the way up until under-21 when he was a part of a Leinster championship winning team at that grade.

He also still lines out for St. Vincent’s in the Dublin Senior Hurling Championship – the club which links him to Gilroy and gave more fire to the rumours that he may switch.

But, speaking to eirSport ahead of Vincent’s Dublin football championship semi-final against St Jude’s, Connolly well and truly quashed those rumours.

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“I’m 30 this year...in my mind’s eye I probably would have been able to do it if I went and picked hurling at 20 or 21 years of age but I went the other way and picked football so I think that ship has sailed,” he said.

Earlier in the week, Dublin footballer James McCarthy had spoken about how he hoped Connolly would stick to the bigger ball as the Dubs go in search of a fourth All-Ireland in a row.

“I certainly hope not but you never know in life,” MaCarthy said. “He’s obviously playing well for St Vincent’s now as well but I’d be hoping he’d definitely continue with us next year. I suppose you don’t really know.

“I’ve seen clips of him hurling like everyone else. He seems to be well able for it as well. At the same time, you can imagine that the jump from club hurling to county is a massive leap. We’ll see.”