Dublin coach Paul Clarke has praised Diarmuid Connolly for the way he handled his return to the inter-county fold.

The St Vincent's clubman played the second half of Dublin's All-Ireland SFC final replay win over Kerry last month, just weeks after a summer move to Boston had fallen through due to complications with his visa.

"He moved away from the group by choice, but you're always looking out for the guy. And I mean that in a really good way," Clarke to Off the Ball AM.

"If someone is on hard times, you try and help them out. And if someone needs a shoulder to cry on, you help them out. If someone says, 'Look, I've something to offer you', well, you're going to have a look at it.

"Diarmuid managed it really well. I think Jim (Gavin) managed it excellently. On top of that then, mostly of all, the players had to manage it too.

"They knew Diarmuid and they knew what he was capable of doing and what he would bring to us."

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