AFL star Mark O’Connor cleared to play with Dingle in Munster final

O'Connor is "getting permission week to week from Geelong" to line out for Dingle

Dingle coach Aidan O'Shea said Mark O'Connor has handled playing under Gaelic football's new rules very well. "I just think he has a capacity to pick things up real quickly," he said. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Mark O'Connor has been cleared to line out for Dingle in this Sunday's Munster Club SFC final against St Finbarr's at Semple Stadium. O'Connor has been training with the Kerry champions and they are not expecting any last-minute hitches from his AFL club Geelong.

“Hopefully he is available," said Dingle coach Aidan O'Shea, son of Kerry legend Jack O'Shea.

"He is getting permission week to week from Geelong and they have been very good to him and he obviously has a very good relationship with them as they let him play. 

"In terms of performance he has been very good, considering that the rules have changed the game totally. I think that the new rules actually suit him. He came home before and there were no long kick-outs so the game did not suit him. But with the new rules and the long kick outs, it is the more traditional midfielders who are back in fashion and the new rules actually suit him. 

"Although I was only watching him from the outside when he came back before but I think he is enjoying the football this year more and he is playing very well.” 

O'Shea said O'Connor's intelligence has helped him easily adapt. 

"I would say he is extremely bright, he picks things up straight away to be honest with you and he is not only juggling the new rules but the new style of play as well so with football changing the whole time, he is taking it in his stride. I just think he has a capacity to pick things up real quickly.“ 

The 28-year-old's demeanour has added confidence to the Dingle set-up.

“He is obviously extremely athletic and things like that but he is very grounded," said O'Shea.

"He is very impressive in terms of he does not go around the place shouting and roaring, he just talks when he has to. He has a quiet presence there that the lads get confidence from. He is just a really solid individual and we are very impressed by him."

Dingle selector Johnny B Brosnan added that the squad is injury free, except for a couple of niggles, and that Barry Dan O'Sullivan is still out. 

“I hope Mark will be involved all going well," said Brosnan. "Unless something drastic happens in the meantime, I expect Mark to be playing on Sunday. He will be with us on Sunday."