Dublin football manager Jim Gavin has confirmed that Dublin forward Diarmuid Connolly isn't available for the Dublin senior football squad.
The situation is that Diarmuid just hasn’t been available – to play club football, in the championship, football and hurling with his club, and with the county as well. We respect that position, and hopefully everyone does as well. It is an amateur sport, but that said, the door will always be open for Diarmuid, and I know for sure with the club and also the county, and hopefully we’ll see him back playing Gaelic games soon.
The 30-year-old hasn't featured for his club St Vincent’s in hurling or football recently having stepped back from GAA entirely. The last time Connolly appeared for the Dubs was as a substitute in the league win over Mayo back in February.
Gavin added that management must now deal with the players they have available to them, but that the team are focused on the upcoming matches:
In terms of the current squad, we’ve always embraced what we have. The focus is relentless on the game ahead of us. That’s where their focus is now, on the game against Wicklow or Offaly. That’s where their drive is towards. Whoever we have in the squad. We’ve been faced with similar situations in the past and they just keep driving on.
