Geelong utility Mark O'Connor has added another piece of silverware to his cabinet after he assisted Gaelic club Dingle end a 77-year title drought in the Kerry Senior Football Championship on Sunday.

O'Connor was named among the best in the 2-13 to 1-12 victory over Austin Shacks.

He was also black carded for an illegal tackle in the first half, which was described as an "AFL-style pulldown".

"We did, finally. And it's just extra special. We're such a small town. Obviously, it's been the same faces that have been in the crowd ever since I was under 10s," he said.

"So giving a look up to the crowd before the game probably didn't help me at all.

The 28-year-old returned home to Ireland shortly after his Cats failed to lift the AFL cup aloft, going down to Brisbane on the final Saturday of September.

Dingle had been close to ending the long-term streak, losing to Dr Crokes last year in the final, as well as in 2018 and 2012.

"It means everything. I kind of broke down. My voice is gone. I broke down. If I get into it now, I'll probably start crying again. So I won't do that on camera," he added.

"But yeah, looking up, seeing my family in the stands. As I said, the same faces. It's the parents of the lads that were playing out there today. And they raised us all the way through.

"So to see them, it's very hard to keep a lid on things. And with our history, we're not the biggest club, as I mentioned. So, going back to 1948 was the last time.

"So trying to keep a lid on that is tough."

Geelong has been accommodating in allowing O'Connor to return to his club during the off-season, which has been a key reason why he's loved his time at Kardinia Park.

"That's absolutely very important to me," he said in 2024 following his re-signing.

"Just in terms of my connection with home, it's very much a pillar of the community. My family are very heavily involved with the club, and for the club here to allow me to do it, it's something very special and it's something I'm very grateful for because I know not every AFL club is comfortable with doing it."

O'Connor was signed by the Cats in 2016 as a category B rookie, and has played 147 games, including the 2022 flag triumph.