 O'Connell is a former member of the Limerick senior hurling team.During his studies at the Limerick Institute of Technology, O'Connell was selected for the college's senior hurling team for the Fitzgibbon Cup.O'Connell joined the Kildimo-Pallaskenry club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels, before eventually joining the club's top adult team.