Overview
- O'Connor confirmed he has retired from inter-county football in an interview reported by the Irish Examiner, leaving the game at age 34 as the all-time championship top scorer and a member of Mayo’s 2026 All-Ireland panel.
- Across 14 seasons he won two All-Star awards, seven Connacht titles, two National League crowns and was twice named Young Footballer of the Year, while also collecting multiple county medals with Ballintubber.
- Injuries strongly shaped his final years: he ruptured an Achilles in 2021, opted out of the Mayo panel in 2025, returned in 2026 but made only two appearances because of fitness issues.
- O'Connor set and extended major scoring marks during his career, surpassing Colm Cooper to become the leading championship scorer and producing a record 4-09 in the 2020 All-Ireland semi-final.
- His retirement closes a defining chapter for a generation of Mayo players and creates room for younger forwards to step into the squad after the county finally secured Sam Maguire in 2026.