Age: 25.
Height: 5ft 11in. Weight: 11st 7lbs.
Club: Hollymount.
Honours: All-Ireland MFC 1988, Under-21 1990, NFL 1997, Munster SFC 1997.
Championship debut: v London 1996.
Appearances 1997: Four.
Substituted 1997: Not to date.
Conceded 1997: 0-1 (v Galway), 0-1 (v Sligo).
Reaction to the season? "It's been successful enough but we haven't played to the best of our ability. We played quite well against Galway, reasonably well against Leitrim and badly against Sligo. Then we watched Offaly demolish Meath in the Leinster final and we had to deal with their full-forward line as a priority and overall the backs have played quite well." Most memorable match this season? "We probably played our best football against Galway back in May, early in the first half and then late in the second half when we came strong." Most difficult? "The Connacht final was played on a bad day for football but at the same time the standard was very low and we could have paid a dear price for taking our foot off the gas. People say finals are never good and there's a reason for that: there's a lot of pressure on. At the end of the day, winning's what counts. We wouldn't be here otherwise." Best of the rest? "Cavan played very well in Ulster to beat Derry. Derry were playing very well up to that. We had played them in a challenge and they looked strong, so you have to sit up and take note of Cavan beating them."
Is the standard of football improving? "A lot depends on the weather. I think September 28th is not the time to be playing an All-Ireland football final. I think it would be better suited to playing the hurling final at the end of September with the football in the middle when the ground is that bit drier and control of the ball that bit easier. It might be easier to control the sliotar on a wet day." How intense is the media pressure? "It's as intense as you let it be. These press nights are organised for the players to meet the press and I think they're a good idea. To be fair to the press, it's only right that they get access to the players. It's all about publicising the game but at the same time, I'm against players being hounded at work and at training. The last thing you want coming up to a game is to clutter your mind talking to the press and reading it the next day and thinking `maybe I shouldn't have said that' or maybe `that wasn't true' or `why did he say that about me?' so it's as well to get it out of the way." Inside view - John Maughan (Mayo manager): "Noel has been better than last year in my opinion. I think he's improved as a footballer, he's a very forceful type of player, very fit but I think his defence has improved, his distribution has improved no end this year. Irrespective of what players are available, Noel is one of the names that would be written down straight away. He's a good way with players and communicates well. If he wasn't a good captain, we'd have appointed someone else." Outside view - Tommy Lyons (Offaly manager): "He's a tight marker and very good onto breaking ball. Colm Quinn had him in trouble early on in our match but we hadn't the possession. Still, Connelly's a right good player and a good leader. Our tactics with him were the same as with the rest of the Mayo defence - to take him on and run at him. If he gets on top, he also adds to the firepower, getting up the line for the odd score."
