Christy O'Connor

Journalist, author, All-Ireland club winning goalkeeper with Doora Barefield and coach

O'Connor: "Tipperary showed on Saturday that they have more X-factor players than Cork"

Cork not ruthless enough to deal with Tipp's swagger

Christy O'Connor says the U20 Cork hurlers cannot be blamed for prolonging the county's near two-decade wait for a marquee All-Ireland underage title, just simply that Tipperary possess more X-factor players.

GAA • 26 Aug 19

'Once the third goal went in, the game was effectively over. It was fully being played on Tipperary's terms'

Tipperary did a Kilkenny on Kilkenny

For years it was the Cats who used to strangle opposition in the big games, but on Sunday they were the ones gasping for air.

GAA • 19 Aug 19

'If the game is played more in the trenches than on the plains, Kilkenny will prevail'

Tipperary need to avoid trench warfare battle

During Liam Sheedy's first term in charge of Tipperary, the success of his tenure was defined by his capacity to build relationships and erect the most professional framework of support around the team.

GAA • 18 Aug 19

'For years, Kilkenny operated like a crowd of crazed Terminators – wiping out all before them'

Tipp-Cats final a fitting end to golden hurling decade

This will be the first time ever in hurling history that the same teams have contested five All-Ireland finals in a single decade.

GAA • 12 Aug 19

'The trend was set and much of Kilkenny's early dominance stemmed from the grip they got on the puck-out'

Limerick find out that small margins win big games

They won an All-Ireland last year based on retaining their own restarts and the scores they generated from that possession. It wasn't so easy in 2019.

GAA • 05 Aug 19

"Too many of Limerick's big guns didn't fire while Kilkenny's boomed"

Old powers in rude health as game hits new heights

The game is possibly in the greatest place it's ever been but, for that to happen, the empires still have to be in a position to emphatically strike back. At the weekend, they did just that, writes Christy O'Connor

GAA • 29 Jul 19

'Wexford will look to collectively strangle the life out of Tipperary in that middle third'

Tipp firepower and Limerick aggression can be decisive

An all Munster decider is on the cards, if Tipperary can raise enough green flags against Wexford and Limerick stifle Kilkenny's danger men, writes Christy O'Connor

GAA • 27 Jul 19

'Limerick will have to try and break a code that so many of their predecessors as Munster champions have struggled to crack'

Limerick will be wary of Munster winners 'lay-off' jinx

Since the hurling backdoor opened, the Munster champions have had a poor record in All-Ireland semi-finals and that's something Limerick will need to be mindful of ahead of their date with Kilkenny on Saturday, writes Christy O'Connor.

GAA • 22 Jul 19

'The Association has never been serious enough about it to really try and instigate the kind of cultural change for which hurling is crying out'

Six-county Leinster won't fix GAA's scandalous failure

While investing in infrastructural projects like Páirc Uí Chaoimh, the GAA has consistently failed to provide weaker hurling counties with the long-term strategic and financial support they desperately need, writes Christy O'Connor

GAA • 15 Jul 19

'Some players were dropped in the lead up to the championship but Brennan wanted to change the culture which had crippled Laois hurling'

Brennan's innovative ideas changing culture in Laois

Eddie Brennan's innovation and enthusiasm is changing the culture in Laois hurling, writes Christy O'Connor.

Hurling • 08 Jul 19