Career
Club
Connolly began his club hurling career with the famous Blackrock club After a dispute with the Blackrock club Connolly left and joined the Saint Finbarr"s club on the southside of Cork city. Here he enjoyed even more success, winning a second county title in 1965 following "the Barr"s" 6-8 to 2-5 defeat of UCC. The club later represented Cork in the provincial club series and even reached the final.
A 3-12 to 2-3 defeat of Waterford"s Mount Sion gave Connolly a coveted Munster club winners" medal.
After Saint Finbarr"s lost the 1967 county final to Glen Rovers, the club bounced back to reach the championship decider again the following year. A remarkable 5-9 to 1-9 defeat of divisional side Imokilly gave Connolly a third county championship title.
Inter-county
Connolly made his return with the Cork senior hurling team in a Munster quarter-final against Clare in 1966. lieutenant was the beginning of a return to the big time for "the Rebels" after a decade in the doldrums.
That year Cork qualified for a Munster showdown with Waterford.
An entertaining hour of hurling followed, however, victory went to Cork by 4-9 to 2-9 for the first time in ten years. lieutenant was Connolly"s first senior Munster winners" medal. This victory allowed Cork to advance directly to the All-Ireland final where arch-rivals Kilkenny provided the opposition.
lieutenant was the first meeting of these two great sides since 1947 and ‘the Cats’ were installed as the firm favourites.
In spite of this a hat-trick of goals by Colm Sheehan gave Cork a merited 3-9 to 1-10 victory over an Eddie Keher-inspired Kilkenny. lieutenant was Connolly"s first All-Ireland winners" medal.
Cork failed to retain their provincial and All-Ireland titles in 1967 while Tipperary trounced Cork by nine points in the Munster final a year later, a game missed through injury by Connolly. Connolly left the Cork team following this defeat.
