David Brady does not expect Jim Gavin to keep Diarmuid Connolly on the sidelines as Dublin continue their drive for a fifth consecutive All-Ireland title.

Dublin boss Gavin confirmed Connolly was back training with the Dublin panel last weekend, but the St. Vincent's club man was left out of Dublin's squad to take on Roscommon on Saturday night.

While it has been widely speculated where Gavin will fit Connolly into this Dublin team, if at all, Brady does think the five-time All-Ireland winner will get game time as the Championship heats up.

"What Jim Gavin is doing," Brady said on Off The Ball's Saturday Panel, "if you take it like a game of poker, he is putting an extra card in his hand and he intends to play it. I don't think he's going to bluff with it.

"So he probably has six or seven weeks under his belt and now he'll have six or seven weeks to looking forward with the Tyrone game, an All-Ireland semi-final and a final.

"When you have a player of his class and his capability it's never ever a risk," Brady added.

Brady also rejected suggestions that Connolly's return could upset the dynamic of the camp, particularly if he was to start in the team ahead of those who have been in the panel all year. Brady instead expects Connolly to be welcomed back into the camp because of his friendship and history with the squad.

"It's a special unit of players in Dublin. I remember coming back into a Mayo set up in May after I was gone for a year and a half and I just felt like I was coming back to my friends. So he'll definitely play in some shape or form I feel.

"The week he does name him in the team it will be some fun."

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