| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Beircheart Ó Conchubhair | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Right wing-forward | ||
| Born |
25 January 1979 Newtownshandrum, County Cork, Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Occupation | Hurley maker | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | Apps (scores) | |
1996–2012 | Newtownshandrum | 79 (22-472) | |
| Club titles | |||
| Cork titles | 4 | ||
| Munster titles | 3 | ||
| All-Ireland Titles | 1 | ||
| Inter-county(ies)* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1999–2012 | Cork | 62 (8–230) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 5 | ||
| All-Irelands | 3 | ||
| NHL | 0 | ||
| All Stars | 2 | ||
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 22:52, 15 March 2012. | |||
Ben O'Connor (born 25 January 1979) is an Irish hurling coach and former player. He is the current coach of the Charleville intermediate team. O'Connor played for Cork Senior Championship club Newtownshandrum and was a member of the Cork senior hurling team for 14 seasons, during which time he usually lined out as a right wing-forward. Noted for his commanding presence and scoring ability on the wing, he is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.[1][2]
O'Connor began his hurling career at club level with Newtownshandrum. He broke onto the club's top adult team as a 17-year-old in 1996 and enjoyed his first success that year when the club won the Cork Intermediate Championship title and promotion to the top flight of Cork hurling. O'Connor went on to make 79 championship appearances at senior level and was at centre-forward on Newtownshandrum's All-Ireland Club Championship-winning team in 2004. His club career ended in 2012, by which time he had also won three Munster Club Championship titles and four Cork Senior Championship titles.
At inter-county level, O'Connor was part of the successful Cork under-21 team that won the All-Ireland Championship in 1998. He joined the Cork senior team in 1999. From his debut, O'Connor was ever-present as a forward and made a combined total of 114 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2012. During that time he was joined on the team by his twin brother Jerry and was part of three All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – in 1999, as captain of the team in 2004 and 2005. O'Connor also secured five Munster Championship medals. He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 15 March 2012.[3][4][5]
O'Connor won his first All-Star in 2005, before claiming a further All-Star in 2008. He is currently Cork's fourth-highest championship scorer of all time, having scored 8–230 in 62 appearances. At inter-provincial level, O'Connor was selected to play in four championship campaigns with Munster, with his sole Railway Cup medal being won in 2005.