The semi-final will mark Armagh and Kerry’s first championship meeting since the Kingdom ran out comfortable winners in the 2006 quarter-finals en route to claiming Sam during the first of O’Connor’s three spells in charge.
Before that, of course, Armagh – with McGeeney as captain – beat Kerry in the 2002 decider to claim the county’s only title to date.
O’Connor’s side of 2006 was powered by the attacking ingenuity of Colm Cooper and physical might of Kieran Donaghy, the latter of whom is part of the Orchard backroom team.
Eighteen years on, O’Connor’s talisman is two-time Footballer of the Year David Clifford, whose tetchy battle with Derry defender Chrissy McKaigue resulted in yellow cards for both players on Sunday.
But while O’Connor was at a loss as to how Clifford was booked by referee David Coldrick, he had few complaints about Derry’s attempts to unnerve the five-time All-Star.
“I’m loathe to comment on stuff like that,” O’Connor told BBC Sport NI.
“He possibly was but David’s a big enough boy to look after himself. David doesn’t look for cheap frees or for sympathy.
“I wasn’t too sure why he [Clifford] got booked, but look, sometimes the referee doesn’t get a good look of those incidents.
“We’ve no big issue with that. As I said, he can look after himself.”
