DIARMUID CONNOLLY WILL not make his highly-anticipated Dublin return this afternoon, with Jim Gavin naming an unchanged starting XV for his side’s Super 8s meeting with Roscommon [throw-in 7pm].
Following Dublin’s opening Super 8s win against Cork a week ago, manager Gavin confirmed that Connolly had returned to the fold and was training with the senior county panel again after missing last year’s All-Ireland title triumph.
The 32-year-old spent last summer in the United States playing football for Donegal Boston. Connolly last played for Dublin in the 2017 All-Ireland final against Mayo, but will not mark his return against the Rossies today.
Gavin has named the same starting XV which overcame Ronan McCarthy’s men by 13 points seven days ago, with Dublin getting their Super 8s campaign up and running with an impressive victory in the face of a spirited first-half Cork performance.
James McCarthy and Jonny Cooper returned from injury last Saturday against Cork off the bench. Both players are named amongst the substitutes again, as is Bernard Brogan, who makes a return to the match-day 26.
The 2010 Footballer of the Year featured against Cavan in the Allianz Football League at the end of March, but has not made a championship appearance in blue since coming off the bench against Roscommon last August.
The Connacht champions face a tough task later this evening if they are to get their own Super 8s campaign back on track. Anthony Cunningham’s side suffered a four-point defeat to last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists Tyrone a week ago.
Dublin team vs Roscommon:
1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells)
2. Michael Fitzsimons (Cuala)
3. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf)
4. Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
5. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
6. Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
7. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. Michael Darragh-MacAuley (Ballyboden St Endas)
10. Niall Scully (Templeogue Synge Street)
11. Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille)
12. Brian Howard (Raheny)
13. Ciarán Kilkenny (Castleknock)
14. Paul Mannion (Kilmacud Crokes)
15. Con O’Callaghan (Cuala)
Here is the Dublin panel to face Roscommon in the Super 8s at Croke Park this evening
— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) July 20, 2019
👕👕👕#UpTheDubs pic.twitter.com/h1JchgsBzs
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