 In 1971 O'Connor was appointed captain of the Tipperary senior team.A subsequent 4-16 to 3-18 victory over Limerick gave him a Munster medal.On 5 September 1971 Tipperary faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, the first to be broadcast in colour by Telefís Éireann and the only eighty-minute meeting between the two sides.