▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁before ▁later ▁winning ▁back - to - back ▁All - I reland ▁Championships ▁with ▁the ▁under - 2 1 ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁C ork ▁senior ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁From ▁his ▁debut , ▁O ' Con nell ▁was ▁a ▁regular ▁at ▁mid field ▁and ▁made ▁a ▁combined ▁total ▁of ▁ 4 3 ▁National ▁League ▁and ▁Championship ▁appearances ▁in ▁a ▁career ▁that ▁ended ▁with ▁his ▁last ▁appearance ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁During ▁that ▁time ▁he ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁two ▁All - I reland ▁Championship - win ning ▁teams ▁– ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁O ' Con nell ▁also ▁secured ▁three ▁Mun ster ▁Championship ▁med als ▁and ▁a ▁National ▁Hur ling ▁League ▁medal . ▁ ▁At ▁inter - pro vin cial ▁level , ▁O ' Con nell ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁one ▁championship ▁campaign ▁with ▁Mun ster , ▁however , ▁he ▁ended ▁his ▁career ▁without ▁a ▁Railway ▁Cup ▁medal . ▁ ▁Play ing ▁career ▁ ▁Mid leton ▁CBS ▁ ▁O ' Con nell ▁played ▁in ▁all ▁gr ades ▁of ▁hur ling ▁during ▁his ▁secondary ▁school ing ▁at ▁Mid leton ▁CBS ▁Second ary ▁School ▁before ▁joining ▁the ▁college ' s ▁senior ▁hur ling ▁side . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁he ▁l ined ▁out ▁at ▁left ▁wing - forward ▁when ▁Mid leton ▁CBS ▁suffered