Dublin's recalling of Diarmuid Connolly to the senior football team is akin to signing LeBron James as a free agent. says Kerry's Kieran Donaghy.

Kieran was talking in relation to the weekend's news that Connolly will be back under the charge of Jim Gavin, after months of speculation as to his status.

"At the end of the day, it is like they have signed a free agent and got LeBron James," said Donaghy, with no begrudging towards the Dubs for doing so.

"First of all, Diarmuid Connolly is not in contract, he is not a professional player. He is a Dublin man, and a major part of why they are where they are today.

"If he wants to play for Dublin, and Jim [Gavin] want him to play, then happy days."

Kieran spoke about a time where Tyrone's Peter Canavan spoke about recalling Stephen O'Neill three weeks before they played Kerry. The situation of recalling players is relatively common, and all part and parcel of the GAA it would seem.

But why now?

"The timing of it doesn't make sense to me.

"Diarmuid Connolly is fit as a fiddle, he is in great shape and is clearly an unbelievable GAA player.

"It is just the timing and the fact that he was on a plane, wanting to go to New York and didn't go. It's like 'I couldn't go to New York so maybe I'll go back to Dublin.

"I don't know what has happened. I would love to know what has happened.

Earlier in the day, former Meath captain Anthony Moyles registered his surprise at the recall.

“I didn’t think this would be something that [Gavin] would go for. I thought he obviously would speak to him before the potential America trip and say ‘listen, you have a choice here. You either go there or you come back in with us and we’ll welcome you with open arms.’

“I don’t know if that conversation happened but I felt that would be the natural conversation that would happen,” Moyles commented.

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