Passionate Ben O’Connor’s stamp now all over Midleton

While on-field achievement is no guarantee of off-field acumen, three-time All-Ireland winner O’Connor arrived in Midleton with stock high having steered Charleville to Cork premier intermediate and Munster intermediate titles in 2018

Ger Fitzgerald (back) and Ben O’Connor. Picture: Eddie O’Hare

As they count down to a first county final appearance since 2018, it’s hard to get away from the observation that Midleton’s most impressive piece of work in recent seasons was not any championship result, but rather the acquisition of Ben O’Connor’s services.

Three years is no long gap at all, but where final opponents Glen Rovers have been a model of consistency, reaching a sixth Cork decider in eight years, Midleton were nowhere near the county final conversation in the last two seasons.