Cillian O’Connor fulfilling destiny as Mayo skipper, says Stephen Rochford

Mayo manager Stephen Rochford says Cillian O’Connor’s natural leadership skills meant he was always destined to skipper his county.

O’Connor was this week named as captain to replace Keith Higgins and will lead the team for the first time when Rochford’s troops take on London in Ruislip in their Connacht championship quarter-final on Sunday fortnight.

The Ballintubber player, who only turns 24 tomorrow, will hope to be the man to lead Mayo to their first All-Ireland senior title since 1951, and Rochford says he is one of the squad real rocks.