Jerry O'Connor

Jerry O'Connor (born 25 January 1979) is an Irish hurler who played as a midfielder for the Cork senior team.

He is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.

In 1996 O'Connor 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 county intermediate championship winners' medal.

In 1996 he was part of the team that won the All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship by overcoming Galway in the final

He was again part of the team in 1997 and picked up a second winners medal after another win over Glaway.

Between 1998 and 2000 he picked up three consecutive winners' medals in the county under-21 championship.

O'Connor made his first appearance for the team during the 2000 championship and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement following the conclusion of the 2011 championship.

During that time he won two All-Ireland medals, four Munster medals and three All-Star awards.

At club level O'Connor is an All-Ireland medalist with Newtownshandrum.

In addition to this he has also won three Munster medals and four county championship medals.

His twin brother Ben O'Connor and his younger sister Paula O'Connor also won All-Ireland medals with Cork in hurling and camogie respectively.

His father Bernie O'Connor also played underage hurling with Cork.

O'Connor plays his club hurling with Newtownshandrum and has enjoyed much success.

Beginning at underage levels he has won 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.

In 2000 O'Connor's side lined out in their first county senior championship final.

Erin's Own provided the opposition on this occasion, however, a 0–14 to 0–11 score line gave Newtown the win.

It was his first county senior championship winners' medal and an historic first for the club.

After surrendering their title in 2001 and losing the final to Blackrock in 2002, Newtown continued their dominance of the club championship and reached the final for a third time in four years in 2003.

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.

This victory allowed Netown to represent Cork in the provincial club championship, with O'Connor's side even reaching the final.

Patrickswell of Limerick provided the opposition on that occasion, however, history was made as Newtown claimed a 2–18 to 2–9 victory.

The club championship season culminated on Saint Patrick's Day, 2004 with an All-Ireland club final appearance.

Perennial runners-up Dunloy provided the opposition and had cause for optimism.

Ben O'Connor scored ten points of Newtown's tally of 0–17 and single-handedly beat the Antrim 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 an 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.

Once again the club represented Cork and lined out against Ballygunner, however, O'Connor's side secured a 0–16 to 1–12 victory over the Waterford side.

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.

After a few disappointing seasons, 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.

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.

O'Connor lined out with the Cork Vocational Schools team in the mid 90s.