From his debut, Roche was ever-present in the half-back line and made 23 Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 1976.
Con is known to enjoy a few pints in the Cork area and is an associate of local singer Jammy Creed and big Willie Cotter and Baby Barry.
After losing the championship decider to Glen Rovers in 1964, Roche was subsequently suspended for breach of "the ban" on the playing of foreign sports.
University College Cork provided the opposition; however, a youthful St Finbarr's team powered to a 6–8 to 2–6 victory.
After an absence of six years, a period which also saw Roche being suspended for playing soccer, St Finbarr's returned to the top table of Cork hurling once again.
In spite of being regarded as underdogs against Blackrock, Roche gave a masterful display in helping the Barr's to a 2–17 to 2–14 victory.
A low-scoring 0–7 to 0–3 victory gave Roche his second Munster medal; however, the game was tinged with sadness for St Finbarr's as an horrific shine-bone injury brought Bernie Scully's career to an end.
Roche first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Cork minor hurling team and in 1964 experienced the ultimate success in that grade.
[2] He also played in the semi-final defeat of Limerick, however, he was later dropped from the panel for Cork's subsequent Munster and All-Ireland victories.
It was a successful campaign for the Rebels as an aggregate 5–21 to 6–16 defeat of New York gave him his second National Hurling League medal.
The Rebels dominated the early exchanges and went eight points clear after a long-range score from wing-back Roche in the 17th minute of the second half.
Kilkenny took control with Pat Henderson a key figure at centre-back and Eddie Keher cutting loose up front.
Two years later in 1974 Roche won a fourth National League medal as Cork defeated Limerick on a huge score line of 6–15 to 1–12.
The following year Roche won his third Munster medal following a 3–14 to 0–12 defeat of reigning provincial champions Limerick.
Charlie McCarthy's departure as coach of the Cork senior hurling team in 1988 saw Roche cross the border from Kerry to take charge.
After securing promotion from Division 2 of the National League to the top flight, Roche's side later fell to Waterford by 5–16 to 4–17 in a replay of the Munster semi-final.