Diarmuid Connolly is chomping at the bit. There are at least two factors in this.
Last month, he returned to action for Jim Gavin after an extended break from the Dublin panel. It's a break which he said he needed after two or three years without rest.
Connolly started the League final against Kerry earlier this month, though would only be the pitch for 30 minutes due to being shown a black card. He admits to being angry with himself for what he calls a 'rush of blood'.
The need to rectify that result against Kerry in a competitive game will have to wait to be sated. There's an eight week gap in between the League final and Dublin's first game of the Leinster Championship.
You want to try get the best out of yourself. I'm already being written off, I'm 30 this summer. You want to add a little bit to your game year on year, game on game. You want to try and be the best player you can be on the field and try add as much as you can to the team.
I'm looking forward to it. We've seven weeks now to prepare for... well, first of all we've probably two Championship football games and two Championship hurling games and then we've a four week lead into an opening round of Championship, which looks like it's going to be an away game for us.
Dublin introduced a number of young players during this year's League campaign.
His absence and their opportunities to impress Jim Gavin does not give Connolly the impulse to train harder over the coming weeks. Rather, he says, it is about training smarter.
It's all about getting onto the field and trying to get a performance in. You have to have the body right first and that's why I took the extended break.
I've been on the road for the last two or three years without much of a break to be honest, so I took a little bit longer to come back this year. That's why I didn't come back until the Roscommon game.
We've two months now to get really, really match sharp. That's exactly what I'm going to do, I'm not going to train harder, it's more about training smarter and try to get the body right.
Picture credit: Sportsfile
Dublin senior footballer Diarmuid Connolly and Kilkenny senior hurler Cillian Buckley, in Croke Park, Dublin, at the launch of the Beko Club Bua award scheme, a new club accreditation and health check system co-ordinated by Leinster GAA for clubs in the province. For more information visit Leinstergaa.ie.
