Advertisement
Offaly great Liam O'Connor. INPHO/Billy Stickland

Offaly great who set up the most famous goal in the GAA passes away

Liam O’Connor has died at the age of 58.

FORMER OFFALY FOOTBALLER Liam O’Connor, who set up the most famous goal in GAA history, has passed away at the age of 58.

O’Connor was a member of the Offaly team that defeated Kerry in the 1982 All-Ireland senior football final and it was his pass that set up Seamus Darby for the match-winning goal which ended the Kingdom’s five-in-a-row dreams.

O’Connor played for the Walsh Island club and was a member of the famous Connor football family. His brother Tomás played in the 1982 team alongside him, as did his cousins Richie and Matt.

In ‘Kings of September’ – Michael Foley’s book about that iconic game – O’Connor describes his pass:

‘I could say it was a pinpoint pass but it was just a case of getting it up and into the forwards. That was when the stamina stood to us, that you were up there and able to take a ball. We weren’t going to lose because of fitness.’

YouTube: kilkennyfootball

O’Connor is survived by his wife Maria, sons Mark, Thomas, Matthew, Luke and Andrew, daughter Emily, mother Nanette, sister Marian McGee and his brothers Murt and Tomás.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

image

Video: Cracking goal by Marc Ó Sé in club match for An Ghaeltacht yesterday

Kerry’s Eoin Brosnan announces his inter-county football retirement

Close
32 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James Gorman
    Favourite James Gorman
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:07 AM

    Can’t criticise Mayo’s sporting qualities. If they were more streetwise they would have an All Ireland by now. Cork bit too nice at times as well.

    231
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen murphy
    Favourite Stephen murphy
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:49 AM

    Mayo streetwise, It is Mayo and not Germany!

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Ryan
    Favourite Paul Ryan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:50 AM

    Mayo for salad

    82
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JJ O Riordan
    Favourite JJ O Riordan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 12:22 PM

    They’re brilliant throughout the making of the salad but mess it up at the end.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vincent Van Gogh
    Favourite Vincent Van Gogh
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:03 AM

    Sounds like he’s making excuses already!

    213
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Steve M
    Favourite Steve M
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:24 AM

    Trying to influence the referee more like and smacks of desperation

    181
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Eel Knack Mole
    Favourite Eel Knack Mole
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:29 AM

    Not the first time this has been, rather unfairly, levelled at Mayo. Similar accusations were made before last years final though of course everybody conveniently forgets that Dublin spent the last ten minutes of that game hauling down Mayo men to scrape over the line. Mayo need to stand up to this rhetoric and take some control of the rhetoric, referees are only human after all.

    174
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave Murray
    Favourite Dave Murray
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 9:39 AM

    Mayo did the exact same thing in the 2012 semi final against Dublin too, hauling down players and time wasting, just to clarify that Mayo are no saints either. But lets try to stick to Cork v Mayo this Sunday without trying to bring Dublin into it.

    86
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Napolean Dynamite
    Favourite Napolean Dynamite
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 10:37 AM

    Semi-Final match-ups: Dublin vs Donegal, Mayo vs Kerry
    All-Ireland Final: Mayo vs Dublin……..Mayo to end the Curse and beat Dublin by three points :)……..you heard it hear first

    106
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gerry in Laois
    Favourite Gerry in Laois
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 11:29 AM

    Since the new format was introduced, 11 times out of 13 the team that won the All-Ireland was either Kerry or the team that knocked them out.

    33
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute theonlypaulg
    Favourite theonlypaulg
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 10:13 AM

    Making excuses already! Hope mayo hammer them now.

    68
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Eden
    Favourite Michael Eden
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 10:19 AM

    Mind games! Mind games! You’re fooling no – one.

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anne-Marie Flynn
    Favourite Anne-Marie Flynn
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 10:04 AM

    This is the funniest thing I’ve ever read. Where’s my violin?!

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Frank Brady
    Favourite Frank Brady
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 10:23 AM

    Cuthbert is right them Mayo shores are gettho hardened, look at Edna for example, a right gurrier

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Ruby
    Favourite Michael Ruby
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 10:15 AM

    Why has Andrew osullivan left the panel? Played slot in the league and impressed to be honest. If we get with in an asses roar of mayo I’ll be happy enough. Don’t think cutbert is the man to take us forward tho.

    53
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lashes
    Favourite Lashes
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:30 AM

    Hahaha this has to be a joke, what happened to battle hardened cork teams. Mayo to make final again but expect same result as always

    43
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Ryan
    Favourite Paul Ryan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:51 AM

    Final it’s there’s Sunday

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Donal Vaughan
    Favourite Donal Vaughan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 12:17 PM

    We could sneak an unfancied win if we could sort out our Midfield

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jack Strong
    Favourite Jack Strong
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 11:49 PM

    Midfield will be damage control for Cork, Mayo have the strongest midfield in the championship when it comes to fielding our own kickouts. Cork don’t have a Cluxton to nullify that.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mayo4Sam
    Favourite Mayo4Sam
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 12:15 PM

    Mayo 4 Sam 2014. This is our year. Mark my words.. !!!

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rob Callaghan
    Favourite Rob Callaghan
    Report
    Jul 30th 2014, 12:31 AM

    Mayo have not peaked yet for a reason and never took the League serious, .. Learned from mistakes last year of showing they’re hand too early . Mark my words Mayo will bulldoze Dublin in this years final !!!!

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Ryan
    Favourite Paul Ryan
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 8:49 AM

    http://youtu.be/2G_hmuU2PEc. Up the dubs you have no chance

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Spoddgy
    Favourite Spoddgy
    Report
    Jul 29th 2014, 10:22 AM

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

    24
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.