Fintan O'Connor: Hopefully I will put on the Knocknagree jersey again in a few years’ time

HE was one of Knocknagree’s key players in the clubs extraordinary rise from junior A football in 2017 to playing senior A football in 2021, but he’s now a supporter, for the time being.

Fintan O’Connor, who was captain of the team before he went travelling at the end of the 2022 season, was one of Knocknagree’s best players for many years, so consistent, and in fact he was second in the top scorers list from the 2022 SAFC, so his absence for the foreseeable future is a blow to the Duhallow club. 

O’Connor, who is currently based in Sydney, says it was a difficult decision to leave everything behind him a year and a half ago, especially when John Fintan Daly’s side had just been beaten by St Michael’s in the SAFC decider.

“I left the country actually four days after losing the final,” the 31-year-old said.

“I spent five weeks travelling with my girlfriend first, she had been keen to travel for some time, but with Covid and all that, it wasn’t possible and I was locked in with football. I suppose the older you get, the more you realise you can’t have everything your own way. But look, my body probably wasn’t playing ball with me, and leaving when I did probably came at a good time because I needed the break physically to work on injuries that I have tried to play through for quite a while.

“I have been in Sydney here just over a year, and it’s crazy how quick time flies. I grew up playing football since I was six years old and it has consumed most of my life, which is not a regret I have you know. It was emotional alright with the way it finished up, we were so close to reaching the top-flight and to leave a few days later was tough I must admit. It wasn’t easy.” 

Despite missing a number of players last season due to a combination of reasons, Knocknagree still reached the business end of the championship, where they made the semi-final, but Dohenys just proved too strong for them. It was a strange experience for O’Connor, for so long he was in the thick of it, but now he is 17,423km away.

“I was tracking the season the best I could,” O’Connor says.

“It was challenging to watch it from abroad from the perspective that I had often been at home injured and not been able to play, but when you're completely removed from the group, it was more challenging. I wasn’t expecting that to be honest and wasn’t prepared for what it would be like. That was probably something I found difficult to deal with last year. On the other side of it, the more the team progressed in the Division 3 of the league, gaining promotion, winning the Tom Creedon Cup and getting to the latter stages of the championship, I was hopping off the couch here following it on Twitter or any of the live streams and stuff like that. 

“I have three brothers playing (Anthony, David and Timmy), cousins and friends, so you're very close to the group when you have been with them for so long. The lads gave it absolutely everything, teams are going to be hit with injuries and lads away, and I don’t think they have ever used that as an excuse. It was pity to fall at the semi-final, but they did their best and were beaten by a strong Dohenys team on the day.” 

Knocknagree’s 2024 SAFC group stage opponents will be Newmarket, Clyda Rovers and Bishopstown. As always, it's very difficult to predict.

“Every team is going to have the same ambition,” says the forward.

“Carrigaline are down, you saw what Newcestown did last year when they came down. Cill na Martra have come up, so you have two strong teams who have been added into the grade that was already competitive. It’s going to be a hard one to call, but every team will be fighting their own claim to make the latter stages. I would be hopeful if Knocknagree can have most of the panel available that they will be in the shake up.” 

So, what does the future hold for the sharpshooter who shot the lights out on many occasions for his beloved club?

“My focus for the time being is enjoying where I am and also trying to get my body fully right again. Hopefully I will put on the Knocknagree jersey again in a few years’ time before I finish up completely.” O’Connor concluded.