Alan Connolly: Ben O'Connor appointment 'the next best thing' for Cork hurlers

If it was the players' choice, they'd have retained Pat Ryan as manager but nobody is complaining about Ben O'Connor.

Blackrock and Cork hurler Alan Connolly.

The day Alan Connolly struck his first hat-trick of goals for Cork, in March of 2024, he talked about the 'dark place' he'd just emerged from.

The Blackrock man was only back after missing all of 2023 with injuries and hit Offaly for 3-1 in that National League tie.

"I probably haven't been fit for the past three years," he revealed on the pitch afterwards. "I've been in a dark place the last three years, I'd say."

Fast forward to the eve of 2026, and life post Pat Horgan on Leeside, and Connolly is one of the players with the potential to step up as the county's next iconic attacker.

His scoring stats since debuting in 2021 are incredible; 12 goals registered in 25 Championship games, 12 more goals stuck away in 16 league encounters. Four hat-tricks and three other games where he netted twice. 24-44 in total, and virtually all of it from open play.

From the very moment he exploded onto the senior scene, striking 2-0 on his league debut in 2021, and 2-1 two games later, it was clear he possessed a special talent for scoring, particularly goals.

The next Horgan? That one remains to be seen.

"Hoggie's the ultimate professional," said Connolly, speaking to promote a car raffle fundraiser at his club, Blackrock. "He'd be the first to training, just practising whatever he wanted to do that day. It'd all be match-specific stuff, he'd be trying to have shooting competitions before training, stuff like that.

Alan Connolly, Blackrock, celebrates his goal against Midleton. Pic: Dan Linehan

"I don't think he ever did activation work, like band work or anything beforehand. It baffles me how he could do it, he's been playing so long. I'd nearly need to warm up to have a puck these days. He'd just go straight out on the pitch, he'd have a bag of balls and just go straight out."

The mavericks get away with that sort of stuff. Connolly fits into the same category, gifted and unconventional.

Consistency is the key now for him. He hit 4-13 and 4-10 in each of the last two Championships, and started every single game, but he also returned blanks in three of the games and, by his high standards, had quiet All-Ireland finals in 2024 and 2025, taken off by the 70th minute each time.

The quest for perfection continues, and the 24-year-old will shortly come under the wing of new Cork manager Ben O'Connor.

"I can't wait to get back going," said the full-forward. "It's relentless in one way but I've had about four to six weeks off now since the Midleton game in the Cork semi-finals. So I'm itching to get back at the moment."

Cork’s Alan Connolly celebrates scoring his side’s seventh goal against Dublin. Pic: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

If it was the players' choice, they'd have retained Pat Ryan as manager but nobody is complaining about O'Connor.

"Look, we would have been happy for Pat to stay on but to have someone of Ben's calibre coming in is probably the next best thing," said Connolly. "So I know we'll be fine with Ben. I think a lot of the younger lads probably played under him, with Cork U-20 teams. I didn't myself but I've only heard positive things about him."

Connolly was on the recent Cork team holiday to Cancun and took in one of the Oasis gigs at Croke Park too.

"I think we beat the Barrs on the Friday and went up on Saturday to the gig so it was one of the best weekends of my life," smiled Connolly.

He's also watched the All-Ireland final back, a video nasty. Six points up at half-time, 15 down at full-time. A remarkable and painful 21-point scoring swing. 

Tipp were lauded for catching Cork out with their extra defender but Connolly doesn't put the result down to tactics.

"We kind of had an idea they would play with a sweeper," he said. "I don't think it was tactically that they won - it was more that they wanted it more. They were relentless with the tackling. They just went after us."

It was a season lowlight for sure. But he'd have taken an All-Ireland final appearance a couple of years ago, back when he was struggling for any sort of traction due to injuries.

"It's something you look back at now and just kind of smile at because I've overcome it," he said. "I've had no issues since. I had a great physio, Sinead Murphy, she always looks after me."

*Alan Connolly was speaking to promote Blackrock Hurling Club's car raffle fundraiser in association with Cogans Toyota, which will see the winner drive away in a brand new Toyota Yaris Hybrid worth €30,000. Tickets priced at €20 each, or €50 for 3, are available from www.bit.ly/RockiesWinACar