O’Donnell return a timely boost for Clare hurling

*Shane O’Donnell in action alongside Conor McGrath. Photograph: Martin Connolly

Clare’s senior hurlers have received a timely boost just one month ahead of the start of their Munster championship campaign.

2013 hat-trick hero Shane O’Donnell returned to county training on Friday evening as Joint Managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor ramp up preparations to their May 12th trip to Walsh Park, Waterford.

Since September, the Éire Óg clubman has been studying at the famed Harvard University in the United States of America on a Fulbright Scholarship. He is s pursuing a PhD in microbiology at University College Cork and previously received a BSc in Genetics at the Cork college. His current research focuses on the effect the genus Lactobacillus has on human health through its impact on the gut microbiota. At Harvard, he conducted a trial analyzing the impact Lactobacillus casei has on the microbiome.

On the hurling field, his addition to the Banner fold gives Moloney and O’Connor more options as they look to improve on their recent Allianz National League campaign that concluded with a fourteen point quarter-final defeat to Waterford.

Shane was one of five Clare hurlers nominated for an All Star last season on the back of their run to the All-Ireland semi-final. He joined Colm Galvin and David McInerney as nomineess while John Conlon and Peter Duggan collected All Star awards.

Earlier today, he featured for Éire Óg as they defeated Doora/Barefield in the Clare Cup 1-23 to 2-14 chipping in with two points. The Townies are joint top of Division 1B alongside Ballyea and Clarecastle while Seanie McMahon’s Doora/Barefield have lost both of their opening games.

It’s further good news for the club as they received a new set of jerseys from sponsor Eoin Doohan of Doohan Financial Planning which they sported for the first time this weekend.