Rory O'Connell: Hall of Fame award winner

Former Athlone and Westmeath football star Rory O’Connell will be inducted into the sporting Hall of Fame at the Westmeath Independent Community & Sports Awards at the Shamrock Lodge Hotel later today (Thursday).

In 2001, O’Connell became Westmeath’s first football All Star after the county enjoyed a hugely memorable championship campaign in what was the inaugural year of the All-Ireland qualifiers.

O’Connell described it as “a huge honour” to be chosen as the first Westmeath footballer to win an All Star. “It’s something I’ll always have,” he said.

Before O’Connell was chosen at midfield alongside Galway’s Kevin Walsh on the 2001 All Star team, Westmeath’s only previous All Star was won by hurling maestro David Kilcoyne in 1986.

O’Connell earned further tangible reward for his many years of service to the Westmeath jersey when the Lake County won the Leinster Senior Football Championship in 2004, with this year marking the 20th anniversary of that historic success. Westmeath had traditionally struggled to make an impact in the Leinster senior championship. But boosted by All-Ireland success at minor and U21 level (1995 and 1999 respectively), there were real signs that things were changing. And the winds of change gained further momentum in 2001.

Having been unlucky to be pipped by Meath in the Leinster championship (a familiar tale of woe over the years), Westmeath then embarked on a championship odyssey through the new ‘back door’ system.

This journey included wins over Wexford (in a replay, following a thrilling draw), Limerick, Louth and Mayo. Anyone who was in Dr Hyde Park for Westmeath’s famous extra-time victory over Mayo will remember O’Connell’s majestic performance at midfield which was surely a key factor in his All-Star selection.

The win over Mayo saw Westmeath reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals and, in an ironic twist of fate, Luke Dempsey’s charges had to face Meath once again. Westmeath surged into a substantial lead, but Meath fought back and clinched a draw, with Ollie Murphy proving Westmeath’s nemesis with two goals. And it was the Royals who won the replay.

Despite the bitter disappointment over the eventual defeat, it was a year of many highlights for Westmeath and another came when O’Connell was honoured with an All Star at the end of the season.

After another close call with Meath in 2003, Westmeath finally made the Leinster championship breakthrough in 2004 under the guidance of Páidí Ó Sé.

Known for his fielding prowess, supreme fitness levels and high workrate, O’Connell formed a formidable midfield partnership with David O’Shaughnessy, Westmeath’s victorious captain in 2004.

But the road to Leinster championship glory did not start well for O’Connell, who was controversially sent off in the opening round win over Offaly and handed a three-month suspension.

An often combative player, O’Connell was no stranger to physical exchanges in the heat of battle, but he always protested his innocence in relation to that incident.

“There were times I got sent off when I deserved to get sent off, but that time nothing had happened and I ended up with a three-month suspension which I thought was the end of my season. It was heart-wrenching to be honest,” O’Connell recalled.

After a case was taken to the High Court, O’Connell’s suspension was lifted in time for the Leinster final against Laois. Having been short of match practice, O’Connell came on as a substitute in the drawn final, but he played a key role from the start as Westmeath overcame Laois in a tense replay by 0-12 to 0-10. The victory sparked unbridled celebrations across the county and was an occasion that will be forever remembered by Westmeath supporters.

At club level, the highlight of O’Connell’s career with Athlone was winning the Westmeath senior championship in 1998. Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Athlone’s last senior championship success and it was O’Connell who lifted the Flanagan Cup as team captain.

Athlone defeated Coralstown/Kinnegad in an exciting and high-scoring final (3-10 to 3-8). Although the Shannonsiders reached the final again the following year and in 2003, the Flanagan Cup hasn’t come back to Páirc Chiaráin since.

In a previous interview with the Westmeath Independent, Rory looked back on that 1998 senior championship success with Athlone. “That was a big highlight, especially when you have grown up with the lads you’re playing with,” he said.

From Clonbrusk in Athlone, Rory is a son of Kay and Christy O’Connell and he has four brothers, Diarmuid, Kevin, Paul and David. The late Kay O’Connell was an avid GAA fan and a stalwart of the Community Games scene, both in her local Ballymahon Road area in Athlone, and with Westmeath Community Games. A past pupil of Marist College, Rory also played soccer and had a brief spell with Athlone Town as a goalkeeper.

Roy, who works with Boston Scientific in Galway, is married to Ingrid, and the couple have two daughters, Emma and Saoirse.