Richie Connor contends that Offaly wouldn't have won the 1982 All-Ireland football final without his cousin and full back Liam O'Connor.

The 58-year-old, who will be laid to rest in Cappoquin, Co. Waterford today, teed up the late winning goal for super-sub Seamus Darby which stopped Kerry from completing the five-in-a-row. But he also kept Kerry's towering full forward, Eoin 'Bomber' Liston, quiet at the other end of the field.

Paying tribute to Liam in the Tullamore Tribune, the Faithful County's captain on that famous day said: "As a footballer, he played his best football when he was needed. He didn't play minor or U21 with Offaly and he only came to notice when Walsh Island came as a force as a senior team.

"He came to football late enough. As a teenager, he didn't give football much time. He wasn't bothered that he didn't make county minor or U21 teams. He never really stood out but the bigger the occasion and the more important the game, the better he performed.

"It is fair to say, we wouldn't have won the All-Ireland without Liam O'Connor. In 1981 and 1982, he did a brilliant job on the great 'Bomber' Liston. He was very effective in what he did. He was a great team player. He was happy to get his hand in or make the important block. He didn't mind who got the credit. Often other players would get the credit for storming out the field but Liam would have been after doing the donkey work."

Richie continued: "He is remembered for giving in a great ball for Seamus Darby's goal. That was not typical of Liam. I don't remember him kicking in any other ball to the full forward line in my time. He wouldn't have ventured out far from the goals. He was a square man who did his job. He was very fast and athletic for a man of his size. He was very strong, one of the strongest players on the panel in body and physical strength.

"He was a great team player. He never looked for the limelight. His only aim was to get his job done." Tweet

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