Cillian O’Connor returns to club action

UP AND RUNNING?Ballintubber’s Cillian O’Connor is pictured in action against Ballinrobe’s David Killeen during Sunday’s Mayo SFC first round match in Clogher.?Pic: Michael Donnelly

A big boost for Mayo as O’Connor returns to action

Mike Finnerty

THE chances of All Star forward Cillian O’Connor lining out for Mayo against Galway in the Connacht Championship on Sunday, June 14 have improved dramatically.
O’Connor made his first competitive appearance for 11 weeks last Sunday when he played for 15 minutes during Ballintubber’s Mayo SFC first round win over Ballinrobe in Clogher.
The former Young Footballer of the Year, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since lining out for Mayo against Derry in the National League on March 8, came on in the 39th minute to help the reigning Mayo club champions to a facile 1-23 to 1-8 victory over their South Mayo visitors.
During his second-half cameo, O’Connor fisted a neat point (having sold two dummies) before being shown a black card in the 54th minute for a clumsy trip on Mayo team-mate Donie Vaughan.
Mayo joint manager, Pat Holmes, was among the large crowd who saw O’Connor come through this run-out unscathed, just three weeks before the Connacht champions take on Galway in Pearse Stadium.
Meanwhile, there was further good news for the Mayo management team as Rob Hennelly, Tom Cunniffe and Chris Barrett — all of whom have been sidelined with various injuries recently — all lined out for their clubs last weekend.
Belmullet defender Barrett has been out of action since having an operation on a foot injury back in February while Cunniffe hasn’t played for Castlebar or Mayo since March 14.
The only Mayo squad players that failed to line out last weekend for their clubs due to injury were Evan Regan (broken collar-bone) and Mickey Conroy (Achilles tendon).