The Sydney Swans will welcome Irish prospect Barry O’Connor to the club next week, as the 20-year-old eyes an opportunity in the AFL.

Sydney Swans General Manager of Recruiting and List Strategy, Kinnear Beatson, invited O’Connor to the Harbour City after witnessing him in action at the AFL Combine in Dublin last November.

“Barry impressed in a number of ways at the AFL Combine as he presented as a very astute young man, as well as impressing both in his physical testing and overall skills by both hand and foot,” Beatson said.

“He appeared to be an athlete who has time and was very clean in his ball handling.”

The 193cm, 92kg Irishman is a versatile athlete – as a footballer in the GAA he plays midfield, centre-half forward and full forward, while he also plays hurling, rugby and soccer.

O’Connor, who hails from County Wexford where he plays for local club St Martins, is also in his third year of studying commerce and business at University College Dublin.

The Irishman could join countryman Colin O'Riordan, who played three senior games for the Sydney Swans last year.