William Buckley (13) and Hugh O'Connor celebrate after Cork defeated Tipperary. James Lawlor/INPHO
Munster SHC
Cork's newest hurling recruit breaking new ground for Newmarket
Hugh O’Connor would’ve been conforming to expectations had he been lining out for the county’s footballers against Meath on Saturday, rather than at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.
WHEN HUGH O’CONNOR’S name was announced over the Walsh Park intercom as a late addition to the Cork team, it marked a historic moment for Newmarket GAA.
The former county minor and U20 football captain became the first player from the North Cork club to start a senior hurling championship match for the Rebels.
Their previous representative, Jerry Cronin, was the back-up keeper for Martin Coleman in the ‘70s, making a substitute appearance against Waterford in 1978 en route to a second All-Ireland medal.
Connie O’Callaghan played in a senior tournament game in 1980. A couple of decades prior, Mick Quane, born in Newmarket, played senior hurling for Cork as a member of Glen Rovers.
The club has also provided footballers to play in All-Ireland finals, like two-time national champion Danny Culloty and Mark O’Sullivan did in the 1990s.
O’Connor would’ve been conforming to expectations had he been lining out for John Cleary’s footballers against Meath on Saturday, rather than at a sold-out SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. His underage pedigree says as much.
He kicked 1-7 (1-5 from play) as Cork captain and man of the match in their 2021 Munster final triumph. He was leading the team out again in the 2024 U20 decider.
Cork's Rory O'Shaughnessy and Hugh O'Connor lift the Tadhg Crowley Cup. Ken Sutton / INPHO
Ken Sutton / INPHO / INPHO
Their defeat in that final was the initial turning point in O’Connor’s county career. Two days later, the U20 hurlers suffered their first loss in two years under their manager Ben O’Connor. The next evening, Hugh scored three points off the bench for Newmarket in a Duhallow Junior A Hurling League match against Dromtarriffe.
The form was good and in their search to mix things up for a Munster semi-final, Hugh got a call. From outside the panel, he came straight in to start both the semi and final in a half-forward line alongside William Buckley and Diarmuid Healy.
“We just felt that we needed something different to give it a boost,” said selector Ronan Curran.
“Hugh has played up through the ranks in hurling and we tried to get him hurling at the start of the year but football is his number one and he was captain of the U20 football team.
We always stayed in contact with him and, look, it was a bit of a gamble, there’s no doubt about that, but he did the business.
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“He showed what he can do. He’s a good ball-winner, a good bit of pace about him, a great fella to be able to bring in.”
The feeling back in Newmarket was that O’Connor was always a true dual player.
Cork manager Ben O'Connor and Hugh O’Connor. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
He was on a Cork development squad which won the celebrated Tony Forristal Tournament at U14 level and the Arrabawn Cup at U15.
“He had a great ability to influence games and stand up in big moments,” says underage hurling coach and current Newmarket chairman Seán Irwin.
Irwin remembers a 15-year-old O’Connor playing a juvenile final with the club. The match wasn’t the important detail so much as what O’Connor did.
“We were leading by a point and the opposition team got a goal at the end of the match,” says Irwin.
“Hugh won the next puck-out and he gave a great ball to a player who pointed. He then won the next puck-out and, from the sideline on the run, popped it over the bar.
“He ran back into the middle of the field, won the next puck-out, dummied a fella, popped it over the bar, and we ended up winning the game by a point. The whistle went nearly straight away after.
What really struck me that day was when the real bad moment happened, he really came to life.
“He took over from that little period when you got a sucker punch, and that to me was the most memorable game that I was involved with him for. For the attitude reasons, along with the skill. I think he scored about 2-12 from midfield that day for us.”
O’Connor’s paw – that ability to pluck the ball out of the air – was a standout characteristic back then as much as when he emerged at U20 level. His distribution of the sliotar to bring his teammates into the play was another strong suit.
His hurling evolution quickened pace with a run to a Munster C title and All-Ireland final, which was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, with Coláiste Treasa, Kanturk.
The strength of that team has been underlined with their midfield pairing of O’Connor and Brian O’Sullivan, plus full-forward Alan Walsh, advancing to make the Cork panel this year. Colin Walsh has previously gained National League airtime, while Tommy Walsh is a mainstay of the county footballers now.
In the intervening years, O’Connor had to show resilience to recover from knee surgery in 2022, bouncing back from an LCL tear with trademark athleticism.
He joined the Cork senior football panel in 2025, making four substitute appearances worth 22 minutes of game time, including the second period of extra-time in a Munster semi-final classic with Kerry.
He was playing Sigerson Cup last year with UCC. This year, it was all Fitzgibbon Cup, having got the call to join Ben O’Connor’s senior squad.
He started league games against Kilkenny and Offaly, was the first forward on against Limerick in the league final, and when a vacancy emerged for the Waterford match, Hugh stepped in at midfield.
On a day when Cork struggled for scores outside their full-forward line, O’Connor notched a pair of first-half points.
“There was huge excitement. People were just delighted for Hugh that he was getting the start,” says Irwin.
“I’d say he was inundated with best of luck messages, and afterwards, I suppose, everyone was full of messages to him as well, saying well done, great stuff.
“He’d be a very popular fella within the club. He’s a great lad. He gives an awful lot back. Any of the juvenile trainers there, if they ever even ask Hugh would he get involved, he has no problem at all giving his time, helping out at training sessions.
“He gives back and he’s very relatable to the young lads as a result. It gives them proof that if you work hard and you’ve the right attitude and a bit of commitment and talent, you can reach the top level.
“We’re very proud of him. He’s a great lad who represents us very well.”
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Cork's newest hurling recruit breaking new ground for Newmarket
WHEN HUGH O’CONNOR’S name was announced over the Walsh Park intercom as a late addition to the Cork team, it marked a historic moment for Newmarket GAA.
The former county minor and U20 football captain became the first player from the North Cork club to start a senior hurling championship match for the Rebels.
Their previous representative, Jerry Cronin, was the back-up keeper for Martin Coleman in the ‘70s, making a substitute appearance against Waterford in 1978 en route to a second All-Ireland medal.
Connie O’Callaghan played in a senior tournament game in 1980. A couple of decades prior, Mick Quane, born in Newmarket, played senior hurling for Cork as a member of Glen Rovers.
The club has also provided footballers to play in All-Ireland finals, like two-time national champion Danny Culloty and Mark O’Sullivan did in the 1990s.
O’Connor would’ve been conforming to expectations had he been lining out for John Cleary’s footballers against Meath on Saturday, rather than at a sold-out SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. His underage pedigree says as much.
He kicked 1-7 (1-5 from play) as Cork captain and man of the match in their 2021 Munster final triumph. He was leading the team out again in the 2024 U20 decider.
Their defeat in that final was the initial turning point in O’Connor’s county career. Two days later, the U20 hurlers suffered their first loss in two years under their manager Ben O’Connor. The next evening, Hugh scored three points off the bench for Newmarket in a Duhallow Junior A Hurling League match against Dromtarriffe.
The form was good and in their search to mix things up for a Munster semi-final, Hugh got a call. From outside the panel, he came straight in to start both the semi and final in a half-forward line alongside William Buckley and Diarmuid Healy.
“We just felt that we needed something different to give it a boost,” said selector Ronan Curran.
“Hugh has played up through the ranks in hurling and we tried to get him hurling at the start of the year but football is his number one and he was captain of the U20 football team.
“He showed what he can do. He’s a good ball-winner, a good bit of pace about him, a great fella to be able to bring in.”
The feeling back in Newmarket was that O’Connor was always a true dual player.
He was on a Cork development squad which won the celebrated Tony Forristal Tournament at U14 level and the Arrabawn Cup at U15.
“He had a great ability to influence games and stand up in big moments,” says underage hurling coach and current Newmarket chairman Seán Irwin.
Irwin remembers a 15-year-old O’Connor playing a juvenile final with the club. The match wasn’t the important detail so much as what O’Connor did.
“We were leading by a point and the opposition team got a goal at the end of the match,” says Irwin.
“Hugh won the next puck-out and he gave a great ball to a player who pointed. He then won the next puck-out and, from the sideline on the run, popped it over the bar.
“He ran back into the middle of the field, won the next puck-out, dummied a fella, popped it over the bar, and we ended up winning the game by a point. The whistle went nearly straight away after.
“He took over from that little period when you got a sucker punch, and that to me was the most memorable game that I was involved with him for. For the attitude reasons, along with the skill. I think he scored about 2-12 from midfield that day for us.”
O’Connor’s paw – that ability to pluck the ball out of the air – was a standout characteristic back then as much as when he emerged at U20 level. His distribution of the sliotar to bring his teammates into the play was another strong suit.
His hurling evolution quickened pace with a run to a Munster C title and All-Ireland final, which was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, with Coláiste Treasa, Kanturk.
The strength of that team has been underlined with their midfield pairing of O’Connor and Brian O’Sullivan, plus full-forward Alan Walsh, advancing to make the Cork panel this year. Colin Walsh has previously gained National League airtime, while Tommy Walsh is a mainstay of the county footballers now.
In the intervening years, O’Connor had to show resilience to recover from knee surgery in 2022, bouncing back from an LCL tear with trademark athleticism.
He joined the Cork senior football panel in 2025, making four substitute appearances worth 22 minutes of game time, including the second period of extra-time in a Munster semi-final classic with Kerry.
He was playing Sigerson Cup last year with UCC. This year, it was all Fitzgibbon Cup, having got the call to join Ben O’Connor’s senior squad.
He started league games against Kilkenny and Offaly, was the first forward on against Limerick in the league final, and when a vacancy emerged for the Waterford match, Hugh stepped in at midfield.
On a day when Cork struggled for scores outside their full-forward line, O’Connor notched a pair of first-half points.
“There was huge excitement. People were just delighted for Hugh that he was getting the start,” says Irwin.
“I’d say he was inundated with best of luck messages, and afterwards, I suppose, everyone was full of messages to him as well, saying well done, great stuff.
“He’d be a very popular fella within the club. He’s a great lad. He gives an awful lot back. Any of the juvenile trainers there, if they ever even ask Hugh would he get involved, he has no problem at all giving his time, helping out at training sessions.
“He gives back and he’s very relatable to the young lads as a result. It gives them proof that if you work hard and you’ve the right attitude and a bit of commitment and talent, you can reach the top level.
“We’re very proud of him. He’s a great lad who represents us very well.”
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