After the All-Ireland final, Diarmuid Connolly posted a picture on his Twitter account that summed up his attitude.
Yes, he’s got more talent in his left foot – his good foot as he would call it, he has a good foot and a better foot, see – than any mere mortal could ever dream of having but everything he’s got in his artillery, he has worked damn hard for it.
He works every week for his place in training. He works and then he works some more. And, for one of the best individuals in the country, it is only about the team.
The motivational quote hanging in Dublin’s warm-up area during the All-Ireland final showed just that.
Spoils of war #DSF2016 pic.twitter.com/vp8YivRrow
— – (@dermoc123) October 1, 2016
From Charles Darwin’s book, The Descent of Man, the quote reads:
“There can be no doubt that a tribe including many members who, from possessing in a high degree the spirit of patriotism, fidelity, obedience, courage, and sympathy, were always ready to give aid to each other and to sacrifice themselves for the common good, would be victorious over most other tribes; and this would be natural selection.”
And, on The GAA Hour with Colm Parkinson, Diarmuid Connolly hammered home the team culture with Dublin. They’re a great collection of players but they bring their parts together for the group.
“This Dublin side are very mature,” the two-time All-Star told SportsJOE.
“Some of the younger guys in the team, they realise they have to do their work – and it’s not often you get a player to come straight into a Dublin team. If they’re showing well in training and doing the right things, they’ll get their chance.
“There’s a lot of talent there but talent doesn’t mean you can win everything.
“It’s about people doing it for each other and buying into the culture and the ethos of the group. That’s a massive part of it.
“We spoke about the defensive side of things – if you’re coming in and you want to be the Wooly Parkinson and play for yourself… I’m only messing!
“But if you don’t buy into the culture of the group and you want to be – for the want of a better word – Billy Big Balls, you won’t be on a winning team. That’s a major thing for me.”
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