Cork midfielder Alan O'Connor could just as easily be lining out for Dublin in Sunday's All-Ireland football semi-final.

Born in Dublin in 1985, O'Connor played underage football and hurling with Lucan Sarsfields up until under 14 level when his family moved to his father's home parish of Kealkil in West Cork.

Sarsfields underage coach Pat Mescall, who trained O'Connor along with Pat Mulhearn, said in the Irish Examiner: "Alan always stood out from the start as a very good player.He was always a tall young fella which is a big help at underage. We wanted to play him full forward for a while and use him as a target man. But he really wanted to be out centre field in the middle of the action.

"That was his position from then and he always had a great determination to win. He'd be a great addition if he was still there and anybody would love to have him in their side. He's a loss to us but that's the way it goes. From our current senior team Declan O'Shaughnessy, a brother of Dublin senior Stephen, Dan Gallagher and Brendan Gallagher would all have played with Alanunderage."

Mescall has kept a close eye on O'Connor's football career since he moved to Cork.

"I'd have followed his progress after he went to Cork and it was great to see him making it at senior level. He was also a great hurler but he's really shone at the football. I was down there in Bantry a couple of weeks ago and met up with him. We took a photo and I was standing on a stool, but I still wasn't up to the top of Alan's head. He's a great fella."

He added: "All the lads that would have played with Lucan underage in the same teams as him, still talk about Alan. But when it comes to next Sunday, there's no doubt that they'll all be shouting for Dublin and most of the club would be the same. I'm from Clare myself but knowing Alan so well I'd like to see a Cork win for him." Tweet

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