He's clearly miles ahead of Jamie Clarke.
Twice young player of the year - has any of Brogan, Cooper, Murphy won that even once? Has anyone won it twice?
As a 20 y.o he finished in the top ten scorers in the country - same as a 21 y.o and highest scorer last year as a 22 y.o. Who else has those stats?
The kick in the 2012 Connacht final was nothing short of incredible for a 20 y.o.

Yes he has time on his side - he also has incredible leadership, and has had this in spades since a teenager. Impressive young man

wicklu (Wicklow) - Posts: 331 - 06/02/2015 08:22:12    1690579

You already told us that. Move on.

Dubh_linn (Dublin) - Posts: 2312 - 06/02/2015 08:34:04    1690584

wicklu-he scored 5 points from play in last years championship.

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 06/02/2015 09:05:56    1690588

I think some people are a little unfair here.....free kicks is his speciality, he also gets goals and in involved in setting them up. What we in Mayo need in ANOTHER forward who can kick 5-6 points from play in big games. It can't be left up to Cillian all the time. In fairness Jason Doherty is probably our most improved forward of the past 2 years. Evan Regan was a player I was looking forward to seeing this year but his injury puts doubt on any impact he can make this year. Diarmuid O Connor, Cillian's younger brother has promising ability too.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11232 - 06/02/2015 10:01:26    1690608

wicklu
County: Wicklow
Posts: 167

1690579 He's clearly miles ahead of Jamie Clarke.
Twice young player of the year - has any of Brogan, Cooper, Murphy won that even once? Has anyone won it twice?
As a 20 y.o he finished in the top ten scorers in the country - same as a 21 y.o and highest scorer last year as a 22 y.o. Who else has those stats?
The kick in the 2012 Connacht final was nothing short of incredible for a 20 y.o.

Yes he has time on his side - he also has incredible leadership, and has had this in spades since a teenager. Impressive young man as

Wouldn't say he's clearly miles ahead of Jamie Clarke. He plays in a better team. Look at Jamie Clarke when Cross where at the height of their powers, he was miles ahead of O'Connor.

As has been mentioned by others, he contributes very little of his scores from frees. Still think he's a great player but I wouldn't have him in the same bracket as say Joyce, Benny Coulter, Ronan Clarke, Stevie O'Neill, Murphy or Jamie Clarke when they were his age.

kinglarsson (Down) - Posts: 88 - 06/02/2015 10:37:02    1690629

My mistake he scored 1-12 from play last year.

TheWestIsAwake (UK) - Posts: 529 - 06/02/2015 10:46:34    1690637

good finisher but definitely don't rate him amongst the best in the country!

northie_chap (Louth) - Posts: 69 - 06/02/2015 11:29:37    1690656

Lot of clueless posters on here trying to knock an amateur player by comparing him to all sorts of different types of footballers.

For a young footballer he has done all that has been asked of him so far. Played in two all Ireland finals (one of which he had a dislocated shoulder just popped back in) 1 all star and 2 young player of the year awards and still only 22. Has played centre, full and both corner forward positions

There isn't a county team that wouldn't have him on the team sheet.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 06/02/2015 12:43:28    1690694

He's a very good player but I don't think he's as good as Jamie Clarke.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9141 - 06/02/2015 12:47:14    1690697

How many AI's had Clarke or Coulter played by the age of 22? How many individual accolades had they received? How many times were they in the top 10 scorers?

And the argument that CoC's on a better team says it all - he's the marquee forward on a better team, leads this great team from the front and still gathers individual accolades.

wicklu (Wicklow) - Posts: 331 - 06/02/2015 12:47:28    1690698

i think hes vgood but not top level his free taking is good but not great from distances of 40m plus. hes not at the level of sheehan murphy or goulding from placed balls. for me dont think hel improve much more he had his best year yet this year very very good but not top level with the likes of jod gooch colm o neill connally murphy etc.

i think jamie clarke is a generous comparison and its not anti mayo bias dont think hes anywhere near a prime alan dillon either. even someone like mcmenemin who wouldnt be a guaranteed starter at dublin id rate as a better player. i think hed struggle to break into the dubs forward line connolly b brogan flynn kilkenny mcmenemin id all say are better and hed be neck n neck with a few others in or around the dubs panel.

On his 2 ypoty awards I felt he was completly undeserving of his second one. one thing I will give him credit for is hes a fantastic leader especially for someone so young.

jm25 (Galway) - Posts: 1162 - 06/02/2015 13:08:12    1690706

tirawleybaron - Not trying to knock him in the slightest. I'm saying that in my opinion he isn't as good as the footballers I've mentioned.

wicklu - The arguement that he's in a better team doesn't say it all, in fact I would say it explains why he has the accolades you mentioned. From going further in the championship each year with Mayo he has more opportunity to score more. Replace O'Connor with Clarke or Coulter in the Mayo team and I'd wager they would be getting the same accolades. Playing in an all ireland doesn't necessarily show how good a footballer you are. How many has he won? Clarke has a few club all ireland & Coulter has a minor. Does that make them better players? Why have Ballintuber not won a club all ireland with him playing if you want to go by that logic?

kinglarsson (Down) - Posts: 88 - 06/02/2015 13:26:18    1690711

Even as a Tyrone man, Jamie Clarke is far better than O'Connor. O'Connor is short pace and offers little from play. If Clarke was in one of the top teams he would be unstoppable. The best forwards today are Murphy, Gooch, Clarke, O'Donoghue, Brogan, Connolly and McManus.

geoff (Tyrone) - Posts: 377 - 06/02/2015 13:52:20    1690719

Agree with geoff. Clarke is probably the most "Kerry-like" player in Ulster. He's like an eel how slippery he is evading tackles. I know you can say this about a lot of players but I reckon if Clarke was involved with Dublin or Kerry then he'd get the credit his incredible talent deserves.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9141 - 06/02/2015 15:53:44    1690771

geoff, we will see at the weekend if he plays!!!

saddam (Mayo) - Posts: 414 - 06/02/2015 16:26:19    1690784

An absolute class act - I don't think brogan was even on the Dublin panel aged 22, never mind all the individual awards COC has won. He won't be at his peak till about 2020. Since o Connor came on the scene you can always put him down for 8 or 9 points every game. How many players can you say that about. Statistically he's the best free taker in the championship since 2011, with the highest conversion % and the most frees taken, showing it's no fluke (source: don't foul Gaa stats). Finally I'd ague he's probably the best tackling forward in the game. Amount of scores mayo get as a result of o Connors ferocious tackling is unbelievable. Will me mayos next captain after Higgins and sure to win many more accolades in the future.

Mayostar (Mayo) - Posts: 40 - 08/02/2015 09:13:54    1691050

Any1 that watched the Tyrone and Mayo match yesterday seen how much Cillian means to that Mayo side, it was a lucky goal but you have to be in the position to score them and he was only on the pitch 5mins. Also as an Armagh fan I would have Oconnor before Clarke, Clarke is class when Armagh is going forward but, How many tines does he take the wrong option, how many times does he shoot and a man is in the better position, When he comes back to tackle his tackles are half hearted or he fouls.... With watching the match yesterday and the All Ireland semi final again, his work rate is class and tackles the way it should be and turns over the ball so for me oconnor is better all round

youngfella27 (Armagh) - Posts: 110 - 09/02/2015 09:22:46    1691491

The O Connor goal should never have stood yesterday. When he came on I expected him to show his teammates the way by scoring from play however just two points from play in 70 minutes is a stat that the new Mayo management will not want repeated.

Mr_Pundit (UK) - Posts: 677 - 09/02/2015 10:03:26    1691521

O'Connor might be a better tackler but Im not sure if Clarke would be worried about that fact. As for his points per game ratio, every free taker is worth x points per game but a lot of players could hit those frees. The deciding factor is their return from play, and O'Connor simply doesn't offer enough from open play.

geoff (Tyrone) - Posts: 377 - 09/02/2015 10:40:16    1691542

Mr_Pundit- why should the goal not have counted??? I would love to no why??? cause of the hard shoulder on Peter Hughes?? Im lost!!!

youngfella27 (Armagh) - Posts: 110 - 09/02/2015 12:54:21    1691622