Geaney counting on one more dig out from Dingle's natural leader O'Connor

There are positive noises around Geelong Cats' Mark O'Connor lining out for a sixth consecutive championship game when Dingle face St Brigid’s on January 18.

Tue, 06 Jan, 2026 - 06:42

John Fogarty

Niall Geaney has underlined the importance of Mark O’Connor as Dingle hope to have their AFL-contracted man available for Sunday week’s All-Ireland Club SFC final.

There are positive noises around the Geelong Cats man lining out for what would be a sixth consecutive championship game when Dingle face St Brigid’s on January 18, going back to the county SFC semi-final win over Mid Kerry.

Geaney sure hopes he will be in the parade alongside him. “He's just a natural leader really around the middle of the field. He's so professional and everything that he brings back to the group when he does come back just goes up a level.

“His know-how and he's an old head on his shoulders, so everybody just rolls in behind that as well and he's phenomenal and encouraging and he hasn't lost much of his football in the 10 years or so that he's away.”

It could be a special seven days for West Kerry as Dingle’s neighbours An Ghaeltacht face Glenullin in their intermediate showdown in GAA HQ this Sunday.

Paul Geaney wasn’t certain he would be able to make the trip to watch his brother-in-law Pádraig, but it was the intention of his cousin Niall to be there.

“It's easy to say that we're bitter rivals, but at the end of the day, most of us are, some of our best friends are playing with them as well.

“Some of our team-mates from Pobalscoil (Chorca Dhuibhne) and friends from school. We won't be going the same time, but we'll all be going up to Croke Park, and it's a phenomenal achievement for West Kerry.

“Such a small area in terms of population, but a hugely proud area of their football and our tradition back there. It'll be a great week I suppose for West Kerry in general.”

Being nine points down to Ballyboden St Enda’s at half-time on Saturday wasn’t as much a yoke for Dingle because of previous deficits they had turned around, Geaney said.

“Mid Kerry, we were down six points or whatever. We've been down against Stacks, we were down against the Barrs for the whole game nearly, so yeah, look, we just kept the faith.

“We knew that we had that extra bit in the tank, that belief that we feel we're so proud of our club, our town, we've great pride in who we are and where we're from.

“So, yeah in those kind of moments where you have to dig deep, you just remember that and we never stopped believing and I suppose once you get a bit of momentum, the wheels just start turning.”