HE SCORED A point for St Martin’s in the Wexford senior football final last October, but Rory O’Connor says he’ll be concentrating solely on hurling for the remainder of his playing days.
O'Connor was speaking at the 2018 Bord Gáis Energy U21 hurling championship launch Eóin Noonan / SPORTSFILE
Eóin Noonan / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
The 19-year-old was forced to make the difficult call in order to prolong his career due to a troublesome knee injury he struggled with last year.
“This year with the club I cut ties with the football. It’s something that was a personal decision I had to make just for my career,” he said at the Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21 hurling championship launch yesterday.
“I could either keep playing both and do myself harm and be retired very early, or I could give myself the best chance to play as long as I can.”
He completed his Leaving Cert last June and was 18 when he was called into the Wexford senior squad by Davy Fitzgerald shortly afterwards.
O’Connor, son of Wexford hurling legend John O’Connor and nephew of George, helped the county U21s to the Leinster final and went on to make his senior debut in the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Waterford last August.
His knee began to flare up as his club chased senior county titles in both codes, winning the hurling and losing the football decider.
O’Connor started both finals but was sidelined for their subsequent Leinster club hurling campaign and in December underwent keyhole surgery to clean up the cartilage in the knee.
“It was keyhole surgery,” he explained. “They tidied up the cartilage because it was a bit hairy in there after being split.
“Basically the shock absorber in my knee between both bones – it split in half on me just from wear and tear.
“There isn’t a good blood supply in your knee so as far as cartilage growing back in there, it’s not really going to happen. There’s a minimal amount in there at the moment, so it’s something I’ll have to manage.
“I have to keep the muscle strong above the knee and below the knee. And then just rehab programmes.
“It seems to be all good now, it’s not giving me any hassle.”
O'Connor in action against Kilkenny in the Division 1 league semi-final Ken Sutton / INPHO
Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO
O’Connor reckons the enforced break did him good over the winter months and after his return to the field he quickly hit top form during the league.
“I was back running in early January. Then I went through the rehab programme and was (back) playing for the Tipp game in the league.
“The other side of that is just being fresh. It was a long season last year. So to get all of Christmas off, more of a break, and actually relax and chill.
“And then to come back and train three hard weeks and then play inter-county matches, you’re fresh and you’re gunning for road.
“That’s what I’d put it (good form) down to mainly.”
Regarded as one of the finest young hurlers in the country, O’Connor is also a talented footballer. He helped his school St Peter’s College to the Hogan Cup final last April where they lost to strong Kerry side St Brendan’s, Killarney.
O'Connor in action in the 2017 Hogan Cup final Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO
Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
O’Connor’s absence will be keenly felt by St Martin’s, who have competed in three senior football finals since 2013, winning one.
Interestingly, O’Connor is the second Wexford hurler in recent weeks to declare he’s giving football a swerve. Former dual county player Lee Chin stated last month that he’s not currently playing football with his club Sarsfields.
“I just don’t feel that my heart is in it and I just don’t think it’s fair for the players or the management for someone like myself to be involved in that and probably not give 100%,” Chin said, before sitting out their opening two championship games in April.
It’s unclear at this stage whether Chin plans on returning to the Sarsfields fold once the competition resumes later this year.
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Rising Wexford star drops football to prolong hurling career after knee injury
HE SCORED A point for St Martin’s in the Wexford senior football final last October, but Rory O’Connor says he’ll be concentrating solely on hurling for the remainder of his playing days.
The 19-year-old was forced to make the difficult call in order to prolong his career due to a troublesome knee injury he struggled with last year.
“This year with the club I cut ties with the football. It’s something that was a personal decision I had to make just for my career,” he said at the Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U21 hurling championship launch yesterday.
“I could either keep playing both and do myself harm and be retired very early, or I could give myself the best chance to play as long as I can.”
He completed his Leaving Cert last June and was 18 when he was called into the Wexford senior squad by Davy Fitzgerald shortly afterwards.
O’Connor, son of Wexford hurling legend John O’Connor and nephew of George, helped the county U21s to the Leinster final and went on to make his senior debut in the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Waterford last August.
Once he returned to club duty, he estimated he played 21 games in 15 hectic weeks between hurling and football at senior and U21 level.
His knee began to flare up as his club chased senior county titles in both codes, winning the hurling and losing the football decider.
O’Connor started both finals but was sidelined for their subsequent Leinster club hurling campaign and in December underwent keyhole surgery to clean up the cartilage in the knee.
“It was keyhole surgery,” he explained. “They tidied up the cartilage because it was a bit hairy in there after being split.
“Basically the shock absorber in my knee between both bones – it split in half on me just from wear and tear.
“There isn’t a good blood supply in your knee so as far as cartilage growing back in there, it’s not really going to happen. There’s a minimal amount in there at the moment, so it’s something I’ll have to manage.
“I have to keep the muscle strong above the knee and below the knee. And then just rehab programmes.
“It seems to be all good now, it’s not giving me any hassle.”
O’Connor reckons the enforced break did him good over the winter months and after his return to the field he quickly hit top form during the league.
“I was back running in early January. Then I went through the rehab programme and was (back) playing for the Tipp game in the league.
“The other side of that is just being fresh. It was a long season last year. So to get all of Christmas off, more of a break, and actually relax and chill.
“And then to come back and train three hard weeks and then play inter-county matches, you’re fresh and you’re gunning for road.
“That’s what I’d put it (good form) down to mainly.”
Regarded as one of the finest young hurlers in the country, O’Connor is also a talented footballer. He helped his school St Peter’s College to the Hogan Cup final last April where they lost to strong Kerry side St Brendan’s, Killarney.
O’Connor’s absence will be keenly felt by St Martin’s, who have competed in three senior football finals since 2013, winning one.
Interestingly, O’Connor is the second Wexford hurler in recent weeks to declare he’s giving football a swerve. Former dual county player Lee Chin stated last month that he’s not currently playing football with his club Sarsfields.
“I just don’t feel that my heart is in it and I just don’t think it’s fair for the players or the management for someone like myself to be involved in that and probably not give 100%,” Chin said, before sitting out their opening two championship games in April.
It’s unclear at this stage whether Chin plans on returning to the Sarsfields fold once the competition resumes later this year.
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GAA Hurling rory o'connor Wexford the dual days are over