The addition of Diarmuid Connolly to the Donegal Boston team puts them into "another realm" financially and will place extra strain on others to compete, according to rival club Connemara Gaels.
The Dublin footballer was the star attraction as he made his return to football in Canton, Massachusetts as his team overcame the Gaels 4-13 to 1-08, with the 30-year-old tacking over two points on his debut.
Connolly was joined by club-mate Shane Carthy, Donegal pair Michael Carroll and Eoin McHugh as well as club All-Ireland winners with Corofin, Liam Silke and Dylan Wall in the Donegal team.
The Gaels were top-of-the-table coming into the Boston Championship clash, but despite the defeat Connemara Gaels secretary Damien Doolan says the team acquitted themselves well against the high calibre opposition.
"We were aware that Connolly was going to be playing," the selector told RTÉ Sport. "He lined out centre-forward and we had David Lynch (pictured below) from Westmeath marking him and he did a very good job, before he moved into corner-forward."
Doolan says the five-time All-Ireland winner was in "good shape" and dismissed suggestions there was abuse aimed at the forward from those in attendance at the Irish Cultural Centre in what he described as a "sporting game".
The two teams will lock horns again in the championship, but Doolan says the financial clout required to attract top quality players across the Atlantic gives some clubs a clear advantage in their quest for success.
Clubs are willing to go that extra mile to get these signatures and in my opinion Donegal have gone into a different realm altogether this year
"Like the Manchester Citys and Chelseas of this world, money talks," he says. "Boston gets its fair share of top inter-county stars out playing each summer but obviously Diarmuid Connolly is by far the biggest name so far.
"It’s great publicity for the championship and it’s great to be able to see and play against big names here on this side of the Atlantic but the cost of these big names is only going up and up.
"Clubs are willing to go that extra mile to get these signatures and in my opinion Donegal have gone into a different realm altogether this year.
"It puts an extra strain on each club to try and stay in the hunt and compete for a Boston Senior Championship medal every year."
