Mark O'Connor

Premiership Cat Mark O’Connor gets green light to play Gaelic over off-season

The recently crowned flag winner will be allowed to return home to compete over the summer.

Published by
Benjamin Millard

Geelong premiership player Mark O'Connor will return back to his native Ireland to ply his trade for Gaelic side Dingle over the off-season.

O'Connor, who claimed his maiden AFL premiership medal only five days ago, has been allowed by the Cats to travel to Kerry county over the summer to take part in the Kerry county senior championship quarter-final.

The 25-year-old has played previously for Dingle, however, his previous stint there was marred by controversy as he played without permission from Geelong.

However, this time he will play without any hindrances, coming off a great campaign with the Cats, hopefully helping his boyhood club to success at the tournament.

Dingle is set to compete on October 8 against Dr Crokes in Tralee, meaning he will only have had two weeks rest in between the Grand Final and his first line-out for his side.

He was unable to appear last season due to a knee injury, meaning that 2022 will be the first time in four years he will be able to play Gaelic competitively.

Other Irish AFL players have also returned home in recent times to ply their trade, with the likes of Colin O'Riordan and Cian McBride playing for their respective counties in 2020.

O'Connor will need to rest up following his stint in Ireland should he and his Geelong outfit want to defend their premiership crown in 2023, with a big off-season of movement all over the league set to shake things up at the top once again.

Published by
Benjamin Millard