The best can turn their hands to anything.
St. Vincent’s and Cuala both advanced to the semi-final stages of the Dublin senior hurling Championship after quarter final victories on Sunday, and that will set up a mouthwatering meeting between two of the capital’s brightest football stars in Diarmuid Connolly and Con O’Callaghan.
This time with hurls.
That’s how it goes isn’t it? Some lads just have ‘it’ and ‘it’ just puts them head and shoulders above the rest no matter what they’re playing in.
They’re athletic, they have all the skills, the co-ordination, the mentality, the bravery, they have it all and it doesn’t really matter if they’re playing with a Gaelic football or a sliotar.
You’d have to wonder, if the cream of the inter-county crop in predominantly hurling or football counties focused on the opposite code from when they were younger, would they make it to the top there too?
It’s more than likely that the majority of them would.
There’s not many that have the talents of O’Callaghan and Connolly, and the pair were blitzing opposition defences in the round of 8 on Sunday.
Con O'Callaghan in action for Cuala in the Dublin County SHC Quarter-Final against St Brigid's! #GAA pic.twitter.com/dApnBjuNKS
— sportsfile (@sportsfile) October 8, 2017
Connolly’s St. Vincent’s side went into their meeting with Craobh Chiaráin as marginal favourites, and justified this with a 2-14 to 1-10 victory.
The Vinnies had many standout performances, with Dublin senior Rian McBride impressing, as did his brother Cian, and when it really came down to it in a tit-for-tat second half, it was Diarmuid Connolly who stood tallest, scoring three long-range points from play in an explosive 16 minute spell.
Connolly grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck when it was in the melting pot, and these three white flags proved to be pivotal in the tide turning in the Marino side’s favour.
DSHC ¼ Final: Great catch and strike from Diarmuid Connolly
15mins 2nd half@StVincentsGAA1: 1-8(11)@craobhchiarain: 1-10(13)#DSHCA2017— Dublin GAA (@DubGAAOfficial) October 8, 2017
They kicked on to win by 7, with an exquisite te Cian McBride goal sealing the win.
Defending All-Ireland club Champions Cuala were given a serious scare in their outing against St. Brigid’s, but two green flags from Con O’Callaghan within just 8 minutes of hurling proved crucial in keeping them above water.
#DSHCA2017 ¼ Final
(1st half, 25min)@StBrigidsGAA 1-4@CualaCLG 2-5#Allianz #Gaa
GOAL… Con O'Callaghan
— 𝘿𝙪𝙗𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙧 (@DubMatchTracker) October 8, 2017
We wonder was potential Dublin hurling manager Pat Gilroy watching?
Who's this Diarmuid Connolly guy ?
— Dermot (@diarmuidpol) October 8, 2017
We'd better leave it at that before Pat Gilroy gets hear about this.
— Dermot (@diarmuidpol) October 8, 2017
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