Connolly cleared to play in final

DIARMUID CONNOLLY is free to play Sunday week’s All-Ireland final against Kerry after he had his proposed four-week suspension quashed by the Central Hearings Committee last night.

The meeting, which lasted over three hours, resulted in the Dublin forward having his straight red card against Donegal overturned.

The Dublin County Board last night confirmed the St Vincent’s man was successful in his hearing against the recommended month-long penalty for an incident involving Marty Boyle in the second-half of last month’s All-Ireland semi-final.

Connolly was the star of the show in Dublin’s emphatic quarter-final defeat of Tyrone, scoring seven points from play.

The news is a major boost for Pat Gilroy as he now also expects hamstring victim Paul Flynn to return to training this week.