Ben O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Ben O'Connor is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum
and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.
in 1979. He is, along with his twin brother Jerry
, the eldest in a family of ten children born to Bernie
and Kathleen O'Connor (née O'Mahony). It was a family that had a strong association with the game of hurling
. O'Connor's father had played at minor, under-21 and senior levels for Cork in the 1960s, winning a minor All-Ireland
winners' medal in 1967. Most of O'Connor's younger brothers excelled at hurling with their club, while twin-brother Jerry and younger sister Paula won senior All-Ireland winners' medals in hurling and camogie
respectively.
O’Connor was educated at the local national school in Newtownshandrum before later attending Mannix College in Charleville
. While going to school here he had his first national hurling success, when he won an All-Ireland
vocational schools winners' medal in 1997.
O’Connor currently works with his father as a hurley maker in Newtownshandrum village.
O’Connor plays his club hurling with the local team in Newtownshandrum
. He enjoyed much success at underage levels, winning practically every hurling competition from under-12 upwards. After enjoying little success in the minor grade O'Connor subsequently enjoyed a very productive period with the club's under-21 hurling team. Between 1998 and 2000 he picked up three consecutive winners' medals in the county under-21 championship
.
Before all of this, however, O'Connor was a member of the club's top team. In 1996 he was barely seventeen years-old when he lined out in the final of the county intermediate championship
, with Cloyne
providing the opposition. A 2-7 to 1-10 draw was followed by a tense replay. The final whistle in that game saw Newtown claim a 0-12 to 0-9 victory, giving O'Connor a coveted county intermediate championship winners' medal.
As well as collecting a third county under-21 winners' medal in 2000, O'Connor also lined out in the county senior championship
. It was Newtown's first time ever playing in a final at this level. Erin's Own
provided the opposition on this occasion, however, six points by O'Connor helped his club to a merited 0-14 to 0-11 victory. It was his first county senior championship winners' medal and an historic first for the club.
After surrendering their title in 2001, Newtown were back in the county final again in 2002. Club championship standard-bearers side Blackrock
provided the opposition as the old order were beginning to be challenged by the new kids on the block. 'Rockies' star Alan Browne
proved the goal-scoring hero again as Blackrock won by 1-14 to 0-12.
In 2003 Newtown continued their dominance of the club championship and reached the final for a third time in four years. For the second year in-a-row Blackrock provided the opposition. 'The Rockies', however, were now in decline and Newtown recorded a significant 0-17 to 0-9 victory. It was O'Connor's second county championship winners' medal in the senior grade. This victory allowed Netwown to represent Cork in the provincial club championship, with O'Connor's side even reaching the final. Paterickswell
of Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion, however, history was made as Newtown claimed a 2-18 to 2-9 victory. It was O'Connor's first Munster
club winners' medal, while Newtown's dream season continued. The club championship season culminated on St. Patrick's Day, 2004 with an All-Ireland club final appearance. Perennial runners-up Dunloy
provided the opposition and had cause for optimism. After a quiet outing in the Munster final O'Connor made amends by scoring ten points of Newtown's tally of 0-17 and single-handedly beat the Antirm men who only recorded 1-6. It was an historic day for the North Cork parish of only eight hundred people and O'Connor collected a coveted All-Ireland
club winners' medal.
After surrendering their county title at the semi-final stage in 2004, Newtown were back in the championship decider again in 2005. Cloyne
provided the opposition on that occasion, as the breakthrough teams continued to dominate. O'Connor's side, however, recorded an emphatic 0-15 to 0-9 victory over the east Cork side, giving O'Connor a third county championship winners' medal of the decade. Once again the tiny club wnet on the provincial march and lined out against Ballygunner
. O'Connor proved the hero, chipping in with six points, to help his side to a narrow 0-16 to 1-12 victory over the Waterford side. It was his second Munster club winners' medal. A second All-Ireland club final appearance beckoned with Portumna
standing in the way of a second All-Ireland club medal. Newtwon, however, were outclassed by a hungrier side as O'Connor's team were defeated by 2-8 to 1-6.
In 2007 O'Connor played in his fifth county championship final of the decade. Reigning champions Erin's Own provided the opposition and successfully defended their title with a convincing 1-11 to 0-7 victory.
After a disappointing season in 2008, Newtownshandrum qualified for the county final again in 2009. It was a clash of the past masters and the reigning champions as Sarsfield's attempted to retain their title. While the opening half saw little separating the sides Newtown went on the rampage in the second-half. O'Connor ended the game having scored a total of 1-4. The final score of 3-22 to 1-12 gave O'Connor a fourth county winners' medal and cemented Newtownshandrum's reputation as the Cork club side of the decade.
by 3-18 to 1-10 to take the Munster
title. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final with Galway
providing the opposition for the second year in succession. O’Connor did not make the starting fifteen, however, he came on as a substitute midway through. In a close game Cork just about secured a 2-15 to 2-10 win. It was O’Connor’s first All-Ireland
under-21 winners' medal.
In 1999 Cork surrendered their Munster title for the first time in three years; however, in 2000 O’Connor’s side reached the provincial under-21 decider once again. Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game ended in a draw. The replay saw Limerick make no mistake and Cork were dumped out of the championship with a 4-18 to 1-6 trouncing.
and was a natural selection on the starting fifteen for Cork’s championship quest in 1999. That year Cork were back in their first Munster final since 1992 and O’Connor was a key member of the full-forward line. Clare
, the team that had won three of the last four provincial titles, together with two All-Ireland titles, provided the opposition and were very much the favourites going into the game. An exciting contest unfolded. Joe Deane
scored the key goal for Cork after an excellent pass from Seánie McGrath
. A score line of 1-15 to 0-14 gave Cork the victory and gave O’Connor his first senior Munster
title. Cork later defeated Offaly
in one of the games of the year to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with arch-rivals Kilkenny
. A wet and windy day meant that the classic game that everyone had expected failed to materialise. Both sides shot seventeen wides over the course of the seventy minutes as a Cork side with an average age of twenty-two came back from five points down to win by 0-13 to 0-12. It was Cork’s first senior All-Ireland
title since 1990 and it was O’Connor’s first ever.
In 2000 Cork were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. The team got off to a good start by retaining their Munster title, however, Tipperary put up a good fight. O’Connor collected a second consecutive Munster winners’ medal as Cork won by 0-23 to 3-12. Cork’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. While Cork were expected to win the game without breaking a sweat Offaly caught Cork on the hop and recorded a 0-19 to 0-15 win.
While the Cork hurling team should have gone from strength to strength as a result of a solid foundation at minor and under-21 levels, in actual fact the opposite happened. Embarrassing defeats in 2001 and 2002 saw the Cork hurling team reach rock bottom and call a players' strike just before Christmas in 2002. O’Connor played a low-key role in the strike, with Joe Deane, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
, Donal Óg Cusack
and Diarmuid O'Sullivan
taking on the roles of main spokesmen. Had the strike failed it could have meant the end of his and his fellow teammates' careers, however, in the end the county board relented and met the demands. Although still amateur sportsmen the Cork senior hurling team were treated as professional athletes.
In 2003 Cork’s players were vindicated in taking a stand as the team reached the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was O’Connor’s third Munster medal and it gave a signal that Cork were back. Cork were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11.
In 2004 O’Connor was appointed captain of the Cork team for the second time. The year saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Unfortunately for O’Connor, Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was O’Connor’s second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2005 Cork were on form again. They won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was O’Connor’s fourth Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and O’Connor’s side eventually went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that the men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, O’Connor scored a decisive goal for ‘the Rebels’. At the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and O’Connor collected his third winners’ medal. Both Ben and his brother Jerry finished off the year by becoming the first set of twins to be presented with All-Star
awards.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year. Once again O’Connor and contributed greatly to Cork’s 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their age-old rivals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, O'Connor goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork were out foe redemption, however, their championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Donal Óg Cusack and Diarmuid O'Sullivan being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
The activities of the Cork footballers and their reaction to the appointment of Teddy Holland
as their new manager impacted greatly on the preparations of the Cork hurling team. The entire panel went on a sympathy strike and missed the opening games of the National League. In the end the Cork hurlers returned to duty, with their first championship game being a Munster semi-final with Tipperary. In the lead up to the game there was speculation as to the formation of the Cork team as it was believed that some of the ‘old guard’ would be blending into the background. Cork lost by six points and had to take their chances in the win-or-bust qualifiers. A goal by Deane in their next outing helped Cork to limp over the finish line against Dublin
. The team’s overall performance was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provided the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. In the second-half Cork took charge with Joe Deane giving a great display and scoring four crucial points from play to help his team to a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17.
Following the defeat by Kilkenny in 2008 manager Gerald McCarthy's two-year contract came to an end. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel then refused to play or train under McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 National League campaign with a new squad, none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel. After months of pressure McCarthy eventually stepped down as manager.
Following the resolution to these difficulties Cork were defeated by Tipperary on a score line of 1-19 to 0-19 in the opening round of the Munster campaign. After a convincing win over Offaly, a game in which O'Connor picked up a hamstring injury, Cork's next assignment was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with Galway. Cork faltered in the final ten minutes as 'the Tribesmen' knocked 'the Rebels' out of the championship by 1-19 to 0-15.
in the inter-provincial championship. He first lined out for his province in 2002, however, defeat was his lot. A similar fate befell the province again in 2003. In 2005 O’Connor secured his first, and only, Railway Cup winners’ medal. He was a member of the team again in 2008, however, Munster lost out on that occasion again.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum
Newtownshandrum GAA
Newtownshandrum GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the small village of Newtownshandrum in County Cork, Ireland. The club, situated in half a parish of about 800 people, was founded in 1896 and is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.In senior hurling...
and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999. O'Connor is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.
Biography
Ben O’Connor was born in the village of Newtownshandrum, County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1979. He is, along with his twin brother Jerry
Jerry O'Connor
Jerry O'Connor is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newtownshandrum and with the Cork senior inter-county team.-Early & private life:...
, the eldest in a family of ten children born to Bernie
Bernie O'Connor
Bernie O’Connor is a former Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Meelin and with the Cork senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s...
and Kathleen O'Connor (née O'Mahony). It was a family that had a strong association with the game of hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
. O'Connor's father had played at minor, under-21 and senior levels for Cork in the 1960s, winning a minor All-Ireland
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
winners' medal in 1967. Most of O'Connor's younger brothers excelled at hurling with their club, while twin-brother Jerry and younger sister Paula won senior All-Ireland winners' medals in hurling and camogie
Camogie
Camogie is an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women; it is almost identical to the game of hurling played by men. Camogie is played by 100,000 women in Ireland and world wide, largely among Irish communities....
respectively.
O’Connor was educated at the local national school in Newtownshandrum before later attending Mannix College in Charleville
Charleville, County Cork
Charleville or Ráth Luirc is a town in north County Cork, Ireland, situated in Ireland's Golden Vale, near the border with County Limerick. It is located on the "Glen" tributary river, which flows into the Maigue River in Co. Limerick...
. While going to school here he had his first national hurling success, when he won an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship
The All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association football and hurling competition. There are two levels of competition. Individual schools compete for county, provincial and All-Ireland competitions...
vocational schools winners' medal in 1997.
O’Connor currently works with his father as a hurley maker in Newtownshandrum village.
Club
Lives in 4 Chestnut Grove BishopstownO’Connor plays his club hurling with the local team in Newtownshandrum
Newtownshandrum GAA
Newtownshandrum GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the small village of Newtownshandrum in County Cork, Ireland. The club, situated in half a parish of about 800 people, was founded in 1896 and is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.In senior hurling...
. He enjoyed much success at underage levels, winning practically every hurling competition from under-12 upwards. After enjoying little success in the minor grade O'Connor subsequently enjoyed a very productive period with the club's under-21 hurling team. Between 1998 and 2000 he picked up three consecutive winners' medals in the county under-21 championship
Cork Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Cork Under-21 Hurling Championship is a hurling competition for players under the age of 21. Clubs affiliated to Cork board compete to win this championship. Seven of the divisions in Cork organize their own championship . The divisional winners compete against each other to decide the county...
.
Before all of this, however, O'Connor was a member of the club's top team. In 1996 he was barely seventeen years-old when he lined out in the final of the county intermediate championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship
Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...
, with Cloyne
Cloyne GAA
Cloyne GAA club is located in the small town of Cloyne in east County Cork, Ireland. Founded in 1887 they have yet to win a Cork Senior Hurling Championship title and have the dubious distinction of losing in the last 3 finals...
providing the opposition. A 2-7 to 1-10 draw was followed by a tense replay. The final whistle in that game saw Newtown claim a 0-12 to 0-9 victory, giving O'Connor a coveted county intermediate championship winners' medal.
As well as collecting a third county under-21 winners' medal in 2000, O'Connor also lined out in the county senior championship
Cork Senior Hurling Championship
The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
. It was Newtown's first time ever playing in a final at this level. Erin's Own
Erin's Own GAA (Cork)
Erin's Own GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Glounthaune in east County Cork, Ireland. The club is made up of players from Little Island, Knockraha, Brooklodge and Glounthaune areas of the parish...
provided the opposition on this occasion, however, six points by O'Connor helped his club to a merited 0-14 to 0-11 victory. It was his first county senior championship winners' medal and an historic first for the club.
After surrendering their title in 2001, Newtown were back in the county final again in 2002. Club championship standard-bearers side Blackrock
Blackrock GAA
Blackrock National Hurling Club is a G.A.A. club located on the southside of Cork City, Ireland. The club was founded in 1883 and is primarily concerned with the game of hurling.-History:...
provided the opposition as the old order were beginning to be challenged by the new kids on the block. 'Rockies' star Alan Browne
Alan Browne
Alan Browne is an Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1995 until 2003.-Club:...
proved the goal-scoring hero again as Blackrock won by 1-14 to 0-12.
In 2003 Newtown continued their dominance of the club championship and reached the final for a third time in four years. For the second year in-a-row Blackrock provided the opposition. 'The Rockies', however, were now in decline and Newtown recorded a significant 0-17 to 0-9 victory. It was O'Connor's second county championship winners' medal in the senior grade. This victory allowed Netwown to represent Cork in the provincial club championship, with O'Connor's side even reaching the final. Paterickswell
Patrickswell GAA
Patrickswell GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the small village of Patrickswell in County Limerick, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.-Honours:*Munster Senior Club Hurling Championships: 2...
of Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion, however, history was made as Newtown claimed a 2-18 to 2-9 victory. It was O'Connor's first Munster
Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
club winners' medal, while Newtown's dream season continued. The club championship season culminated on St. Patrick's Day, 2004 with an All-Ireland club final appearance. Perennial runners-up Dunloy
Dunloy GAA
Dunloy Cú Chulainn's is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in Dunloy, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling...
provided the opposition and had cause for optimism. After a quiet outing in the Munster final O'Connor made amends by scoring ten points of Newtown's tally of 0-17 and single-handedly beat the Antirm men who only recorded 1-6. It was an historic day for the North Cork parish of only eight hundred people and O'Connor collected a coveted All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
club winners' medal.
After surrendering their county title at the semi-final stage in 2004, Newtown were back in the championship decider again in 2005. Cloyne
Cloyne GAA
Cloyne GAA club is located in the small town of Cloyne in east County Cork, Ireland. Founded in 1887 they have yet to win a Cork Senior Hurling Championship title and have the dubious distinction of losing in the last 3 finals...
provided the opposition on that occasion, as the breakthrough teams continued to dominate. O'Connor's side, however, recorded an emphatic 0-15 to 0-9 victory over the east Cork side, giving O'Connor a third county championship winners' medal of the decade. Once again the tiny club wnet on the provincial march and lined out against Ballygunner
Ballygunner GAA
Ballygunner GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the parish of Ballygunner in County Waterford, Ireland. The club is exclusively concerned with hurling.- History :...
. O'Connor proved the hero, chipping in with six points, to help his side to a narrow 0-16 to 1-12 victory over the Waterford side. It was his second Munster club winners' medal. A second All-Ireland club final appearance beckoned with Portumna
Portumna GAA
Portumna GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Portumna in County Galway. The club is almost exclusively focused on hurling.-History:...
standing in the way of a second All-Ireland club medal. Newtwon, however, were outclassed by a hungrier side as O'Connor's team were defeated by 2-8 to 1-6.
In 2007 O'Connor played in his fifth county championship final of the decade. Reigning champions Erin's Own provided the opposition and successfully defended their title with a convincing 1-11 to 0-7 victory.
After a disappointing season in 2008, Newtownshandrum qualified for the county final again in 2009. It was a clash of the past masters and the reigning champions as Sarsfield's attempted to retain their title. While the opening half saw little separating the sides Newtown went on the rampage in the second-half. O'Connor ended the game having scored a total of 1-4. The final score of 3-22 to 1-12 gave O'Connor a fourth county winners' medal and cemented Newtownshandrum's reputation as the Cork club side of the decade.
Under-21
In 1998 O’Connor first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork under-21 team. He was a non playing substitute when the team trounced TipperaryTipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
by 3-18 to 1-10 to take the Munster
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final with Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
providing the opposition for the second year in succession. O’Connor did not make the starting fifteen, however, he came on as a substitute midway through. In a close game Cork just about secured a 2-15 to 2-10 win. It was O’Connor’s first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
under-21 winners' medal.
In 1999 Cork surrendered their Munster title for the first time in three years; however, in 2000 O’Connor’s side reached the provincial under-21 decider once again. Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game ended in a draw. The replay saw Limerick make no mistake and Cork were dumped out of the championship with a 4-18 to 1-6 trouncing.
Senior
O’Connor’s move onto the Cork senior team was a natural progression for such a talented player. He made his senior debut in the 1998-99 National LeagueNational Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
and was a natural selection on the starting fifteen for Cork’s championship quest in 1999. That year Cork were back in their first Munster final since 1992 and O’Connor was a key member of the full-forward line. Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
, the team that had won three of the last four provincial titles, together with two All-Ireland titles, provided the opposition and were very much the favourites going into the game. An exciting contest unfolded. Joe Deane
Joe Deane
Joe Deane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009...
scored the key goal for Cork after an excellent pass from Seánie McGrath
Seánie McGrath
Seánie McGrath is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local clubs Mayfield and Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1997 until 2003.-Early life:...
. A score line of 1-15 to 0-14 gave Cork the victory and gave O’Connor his first senior Munster
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
title. Cork later defeated Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in one of the games of the year to set up an All-Ireland final meeting with arch-rivals Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
. A wet and windy day meant that the classic game that everyone had expected failed to materialise. Both sides shot seventeen wides over the course of the seventy minutes as a Cork side with an average age of twenty-two came back from five points down to win by 0-13 to 0-12. It was Cork’s first senior All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
title since 1990 and it was O’Connor’s first ever.
In 2000 Cork were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. The team got off to a good start by retaining their Munster title, however, Tipperary put up a good fight. O’Connor collected a second consecutive Munster winners’ medal as Cork won by 0-23 to 3-12. Cork’s next game was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Offaly. While Cork were expected to win the game without breaking a sweat Offaly caught Cork on the hop and recorded a 0-19 to 0-15 win.
While the Cork hurling team should have gone from strength to strength as a result of a solid foundation at minor and under-21 levels, in actual fact the opposite happened. Embarrassing defeats in 2001 and 2002 saw the Cork hurling team reach rock bottom and call a players' strike just before Christmas in 2002. O’Connor played a low-key role in the strike, with Joe Deane, Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín is an iconic Irish-Fijian sportsperson. A former dual player, he currently plays hurling with his local club Na Piarsaigh and is a member of the Cork senior inter-county team. Ó hAilpín captained Cork to the All-Ireland title in 2005...
, Donal Óg Cusack
Dónal Óg Cusack
Donal Óg Cusack is a well-known Irish hurler and Ireland's first openly gay elite sportsman. He plays hurling at club level with Cloyne and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999....
and Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan
Diarmuid O'Sullivan is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Cloyne and was a dual player with the Cork senior inter-county teams at various times from 1997 until 2008. O'Sullivan is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Biography:Diarmuid O'Sullivan was born in...
taking on the roles of main spokesmen. Had the strike failed it could have meant the end of his and his fellow teammates' careers, however, in the end the county board relented and met the demands. Although still amateur sportsmen the Cork senior hurling team were treated as professional athletes.
In 2003 Cork’s players were vindicated in taking a stand as the team reached the Munster final for the first time in three years. Waterford provided the opposition on that occasion as one of hurling’s modern rivalries began in earnest. An exciting game resulted between the two teams; however, victory went to Cork by 3-16 to 3-12. It was O’Connor’s third Munster medal and it gave a signal that Cork were back. Cork were hot favourites going into the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final against Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
, however, it was far from a walkover. In one of the most exciting games of the championship both sides finished level: Cork 2-20, Wexford 3-17. Both sides met again six days later with Cork making no mistake and taking the spoils on a score line of 3-17 to 2-7. This win set up an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. In another thrilling game of hurling both teams were level for much of the game, exchanging tit-for-tat scores. A Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín is an Australian-Irish sportsman. He was a hurler with the Cork senior team before becoming a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background...
goal steadied the Cork ship, however, a Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford
Martin Comerford is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club O'Loughlin Gaels and was a member of the Kilkenny senior inter-county team from 2002 until 2010.-References:-Teams:...
goal five minutes from the end settled the game as Kilkenny went on to win by 1-14 to 1-11.
In 2004 O’Connor was appointed captain of the Cork team for the second time. The year saw Cork reach the Munster final once again and, for the second consecutive year, Waterford provided the opposition. In what many consider to be the greatest provincial decider of them all, both sides fought tooth-and-nail for the full seventy minutes. Unfortunately for O’Connor, Cork lost the game by just a single point on a score line of Waterford 3-16, Cork 1-21. Although Cork surrendered their provincial crown they were still in with a chance of landing the All-Ireland title. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. This game took on a life of its own for a number of reasons. Chief among these was the fact that Kilkenny were attempting to capture a third All-Ireland in-a-row and go one ahead of Cork in the All-Ireland roll of honour. The game was expected to be another classic; however, a damp day put an end to this. The first-half was a low-scoring affair and provided little excitement for fans. The second-half saw Cork completely take over. For the last twenty-three minutes Cork scored nine unanswered points and went on to win the game by 0-17 to 0-9. It was O’Connor’s second All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2005 Cork were on form again. They won back the provincial crown that year with a 1-12 to 1-16 victory over Tipperary. It was O’Connor’s fourth Munster winners’ medal as Cork went on the march for glory once again. In the All-Ireland semi-final against Clare their championship campaign was nearly derailed when they fell behind by seven points at the start of the second-half. A huge performance by Cork turned this deficit around and O’Connor’s side eventually went on to win the game by 0-16 to 0-15. While it was expected that Cork and Kilkenny would do battle again in a third consecutive All-Ireland final Galway were the surprise winners of the second semi-final. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990 and even more daunting was the fact that the men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Once again neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, O’Connor scored a decisive goal for ‘the Rebels’. At the final whistle Cork were ahead by 1-21 to 1-16. For the second year in-a-row Cork were the All-Ireland champions and O’Connor collected his third winners’ medal. Both Ben and his brother Jerry finished off the year by becoming the first set of twins to be presented with All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
awards.
2006 saw Cork turn their attentions to a first three-in-a-row of All-Ireland titles since 1978. The team’s championship campaign got off to a good start with a 0-20 to 0-14 defeat of Clare in the opening round of the Munster championship. The subsequent provincial decider saw Cork take on Tipp for the second consecutive year. Once again O’Connor and contributed greatly to Cork’s 2-11 to 1-11 victory over their age-old rivals. Subsequent victories over Limerick and Waterford saw Cork qualify for their fourth consecutive All-Ireland final and for the third time Kilkenny were the opponents. Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty
Aidan Fogarty is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Emeralds and with the Kilkenny senior inter-county team.-Club:...
. Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, O'Connor goaled for Cork. It was too little too late as ‘the Cats’ denied ‘the Rebels’ the three-in-a-row on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.
In 2007 Cork were out foe redemption, however, their championship ambitions were hampered from the beginning. The so-called Semplegate affair resulted in Seán Óg Ó hAilpín, Donal Óg Cusack and Diarmuid O'Sullivan being suspended for a crucial Munster semi-final clash with Waterford. In spite of being without three of their best players Cork put up a good fight but only lost by a goal. After maneuvering through the qualifiers Cork reached the All-Ireland quarter-final. Once again Waterford provided the opposition as the game controversially ended in a draw – 3-16 apiece. The replay was less exciting; however, it was still a good game as Waterford triumphed by 2-17 to 0-20.
The activities of the Cork footballers and their reaction to the appointment of Teddy Holland
Teddy Holland
Teddy Holland is an Irish retired Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local clubs Ballinascarthy and St. Finbarr's and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1970...
as their new manager impacted greatly on the preparations of the Cork hurling team. The entire panel went on a sympathy strike and missed the opening games of the National League. In the end the Cork hurlers returned to duty, with their first championship game being a Munster semi-final with Tipperary. In the lead up to the game there was speculation as to the formation of the Cork team as it was believed that some of the ‘old guard’ would be blending into the background. Cork lost by six points and had to take their chances in the win-or-bust qualifiers. A goal by Deane in their next outing helped Cork to limp over the finish line against Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
. The team’s overall performance was less than impressive in the 1-17 to 0-15 win. Cork’s next game saw Galway, a team regarded as one of the best in the country, provided the opposition. The first-half was a poor affair with Cork’s goalkeeper, Donal Óg Cusack, being sent off. In the second-half Cork took charge with Joe Deane giving a great display and scoring four crucial points from play to help his team to a 0-23 to 2-15 victory and a place in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Clare were the opposition on that occasion and, once again, Cork gave a poor first-half display. The second-half was a different story with Cork taking charge once again and securing a 2-19 to 2-17 victory. This win allowed Cork to advance to the All-Ireland semi-final where Kilkenny provided the opposition. It was the first time that these two teams met in the championship outside of an All-Ireland final. That game was an intriguing encounter; however, ‘the Cats’ won the day by 1-23 to 0-17.
Following the defeat by Kilkenny in 2008 manager Gerald McCarthy's two-year contract came to an end. He was later re-appointed for a further two-year term by the Cork County Board, in spite of the majority of the players not wanting him to stay on. The players on the 2008 panel then refused to play or train under McCarthy. (see 2008-2009 Cork players strike). McCarthy accordingly began the 2009 National League campaign with a new squad, none of whom had been able to make the previous year's panel. After months of pressure McCarthy eventually stepped down as manager.
Following the resolution to these difficulties Cork were defeated by Tipperary on a score line of 1-19 to 0-19 in the opening round of the Munster campaign. After a convincing win over Offaly, a game in which O'Connor picked up a hamstring injury, Cork's next assignment was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with Galway. Cork faltered in the final ten minutes as 'the Tribesmen' knocked 'the Rebels' out of the championship by 1-19 to 0-15.
Inter-provincial
O’Connor has also played with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial championship. He first lined out for his province in 2002, however, defeat was his lot. A similar fate befell the province again in 2003. In 2005 O’Connor secured his first, and only, Railway Cup winners’ medal. He was a member of the team again in 2008, however, Munster lost out on that occasion again.
Newtownshandrum
- All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
:- Winner (1): 2004
- Runner-up (2): 2006
- Munster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for the top hurling clubs in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (2): 2003, 2005
- Cork Senior Hurling ChampionshipCork Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....
:- Winner (4): 2000, 2003, 2005, 2009
- Runner-up (2): 2002, 2007
- Cork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling ChampionshipCork Intermediate Hurling Championship is the second-tier hurling competition organized by the Cork Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The winners usually will play in the senior grade the following year for the Cork Senior Hurling Championship. This championship has been played for since 1909...
:- Winner (1): 1996
- Cork Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipCork Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Cork Under-21 Hurling Championship is a hurling competition for players under the age of 21. Clubs affiliated to Cork board compete to win this championship. Seven of the divisions in Cork organize their own championship . The divisional winners compete against each other to decide the county...
:- Winner (3): 1998, 1999, 2000
Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
:- Winner (3): 1999All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1999The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1999 was the 113th staging of Ireland's premier hurling competition...
, 2004All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2004The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 2004 was the 118th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Kilkenny 0-17 to 0-9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:-Calendar:...
(C), 2005All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2005The Guinness Hurling Championship 2005 began on Sunday, May 15, 2005. The 2005 championship saw some change with the introduction of a new format whereby after the provincial championships and the two new qualifying groups were completed, eight teams were left to face off in four quarter finals.... - Runner-up (2): 2003All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2003 was the 117th since its establishment in 1887. The first matches of the season were played in May 2003, and the championship ended on 14 September 2003...
, 2006All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 2006The Guinness Hurling Championship 2006 was won by Kilkenny, who defeated holders Cork in the All-Ireland final.-Format:The format of the 2006 championship remained the same as in 2005:...
- Winner (3): 1999
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
:- Winner (5): 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006
- Runner-up (1): 2004 (C)
- National Hurling LeagueNational Hurling LeagueThe National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (1): 2002
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1998
- Munster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
:- Winner (1): 1998
- Runner-up (1): 2000