Diarmuid Connolly has been cleared to play for Dublin against Mayo today

Some boost for Dublin ahead of the big one at Croker today.

Diarmuid Connolly has been cleared to play for Dublin against Mayo in today’s All-Ireland Final semi-final replay after his appeal to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) proved successful last night. Connolly was sent off for striking Lee Keegan in the closing stages of a fractious encounter last Sunday and was subsequently issued with a one-game ban. That ban was upheld by the Central Appeals Committee (CAC) and the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) and it was thought that Connolly would miss out on today’s game until the DRA came to their decision in the very early hours of this morning. Details of the reasons for Connolly’s successful appeal will appear on the DRA website in due course, but it is believed that he did not learn of his fate until 2.30am; Dublin GAA officially announced the news via Twitter shortly after 5am this morning. https://twitter.com/DubGAAOfficial/status/640012196739686400 Connolly’s inclusion will come as a huge boost to the Dubs ahead of what should be a titanic tussle at Croke Park this evening. It shouldn’t be forgotten, of course, that Mayo will be boosted by the return of famous fan ‘Mayo Mick’ whose one-year suspension for invading the pitch during last year’s All-Ireland semi-final replay against Kerry in Limerick came to an end earlier this week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIGoFZN-BO8