Connolly among favourites to replace Cullen as new Dublin captain

NEWS:BRYAN CULLEN will be surrendering the Dublin football captaincy as he takes a more extended break from the game, with Diarmuid Connolly emerging as one of the frontrunners to take over for the 2013 season.

While Ballymun Kickhams are celebrating their first Dublin football title in 27 years, they don’t get to nominate the county captaincy – as is the tradition in most other counties. Instead, the choice will be made by new Dublin manager Jim Gavin, and Connolly, one of Dublin’s best forwards in recent seasons, is being lined up as the likely replacement.

“No, our county champions don’t nominate the captaincy,” explained Dublin chairman Andy Kettle, “and I don’t know if that tradition has ever been in Dublin.

“It will be decided by Jim Gavin, and his management team, although I’m not aware of any nomination yet. Jim hasn’t even met the players as a group yet, only talked with a few individuals.”

Kettle suggested that Dublin might actually appoint a temporary captain, at least for the O’Byrne Cup competition in January, as it could be as late as March before Gavin has the pick of his full panel.

Cullen will definitely be taking a more extended break from the game, as he’s getting married on January 1st, and although only 28, the 2011 All-Ireland winning captain won’t be rushing back into action until well into the league campaign, or possibly even later.

“That’s what it’s looking like,” said Kettle, “with a few players taking a break or still out with injury. It is something we have looked at, and reckon it could be Dublin’s league match against Mayo, in early March, before the full panel is available, when you consider the Sigerson Cup will also be happening up until then.”

For Ballymun Kickhams, who claimed their first Dublin football title since 1985 on Monday evening, beating Kilmacud Crokes by a single point, there is still likely to be greater representation on Gavin’s panel for 2013. Dean Rock, who was dropped from the panel prior to this year’s Leinster championship, is a virtual certainty for 2013 after hitting 0-7 in that final.

So far however Paul Casey looks like being the only major retirement this year, after he announced his intention to step aside this weekend, after 11 seasons on the panel.

Former Dublin football manager Pat Gilroy will be returning to the sidelines later this month, as he takes charge of the 2011 All Star football team that will play in the 2012 selection in New York’s Gaelic Park on November 17th.

Donegal’s All-Ireland winning manager Jim McGuinness will take charge of the 2012 selection, announced last week, and which featured a record-equalling eight players from his county.

“That’s the standard procedure,” explained GAA communications manager, Alan Milton, “that the All-Ireland winning managers of both those years take charge of the All Star selection, and certainly Jim McGuinness and Pat Gilroy have been invited, as of now we are expecting both of them to travel.”

This will, however, make for the possibly awkward scenario of McGuinness sharing the same trip as 2011 All Star Kevin Cassidy, whom he dropped from his panel late last year, following his controversial contribution to the book on Ulster football, This Is Our Year. As a result, Cassidy was also left off the Donegal team holiday to Florida last year.

“Yes, Kevin Cassidy has certainly been invited,” confirmed Milton, “and would be very welcome although ultimately it is up to him whether he wants to travel or not. Having said that we are still working our way through a number of necessary replacements. We have three players who were on both the All Star teams of 2011 and 2012, in Karl Lacey and Neil McGee from Donegal, and also Dublin’s Paul Flynn, so obviously we will need to get some replacements there.

“There are three players from the 2011 team that are also injured at present, Mayo’s Andy Moran and Alan Brogan and Michael Dara Macauley from Dublin. Although all three will still be travelling, they won’t be taking part in the game, and that will necessitate calling up three further replacements.”