 He served as manager of the Tipperary under-21 team for an unsuccessful three-year spell between 1986 and 1988.In 1968 O'Connor was a key member of the Roscrea senior team that made a long overdue breakthrough and claimed the championship for the very first time.The 2-13 to 3-4 defeat of Thurles Sarsfields gave O'Connor a first winners' medal in the competition.