O’Connor steps up to the plate

PEOPLE have been taken aback by the rise to prominence of Meath’s Stephen Bray this summer, but Donncha O’Connor’s ascent to the game’s summit has that beaten hands down.

Two years ago he was a substitute on the county junior team that played Meath in the All-Ireland junior final, but that was the day he left base camp, as he kicked two points after being summoned from the bench.

That junior side provided rich pickings for Billy Morgan. Ger Spillane, Alan Quirke and Daniel Goulding played in that side too, and until yesterday it could be argued that they all enjoyed higher public profiles than the 25-year old O’Connor.