Limerick man leads Offaly to historic first All-Ireland U20 hurling title

LIMERICK man Leo O'Connor led Offaly to an historic first All-Ireland U20 hurling title on Saturday evening.

Claughaun clubman O'Connor is manager of the Offaly U20 side which defeated neighbours Tipperary 2-20 to 2-14 in a tense final in front of 25,825 supporters at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny.

The notable All-Ireland final victory saw the Midlanders bounce back from defeat to Cork in the 2023 All-Ireland U20 final, while O’Connor and Offaly also tasted defeat to Tipp in the 2022 All-Ireland minor decider.

Former Limerick hurling star O'Connor led the Offaly minor hurling side to Leinster glory in 2022 when defeating Laois 0-21 to 0-13 for the county's first Leinster Minor Hurling Championship title since 2000. However, Offaly's All-Ireland final dreams were shattered by Tipperary in the most dramatic finale.

O'Connor was appointed Offaly minor hurling manager in 2020.

The Limerick native then managed the Faithful County to a thrilling 1-21 to 0-22 Leinster U-20 final success over Wexford at Netwatch Cullen Park in May 2023, before losing out to Cork in the All-Ireland decider.

A talented hurling in his playing days, O'Connor had come on as a sub during Limerick's 1994 All-Ireland senior hurling final defeat by Offaly when he scored the scored the Shannonsiders' final point in that never to be forgotten decider.

Prior to his move to Offaly, O'Connor played a key role in the development of Limerick hurling. He has managed Limerick county teams at every level up to U-21, guiding them to the Munster U-21 title in 2011 and his work with the Limerick development squad system has helped put the foundations in place for their recent success story.