*Éire Óg’s marquee man, Shane O’Donnell. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
SHANE O’DONNELL has achieved a lot in his hurling career and he hopes to fulfil a dream of claiming a Clare SHC medal as Éire Óg take on Ballyea in Sunday’s decider.
There is no doubting that Shane O’Donnell is one of the best hurlers ever produced in the Banner County. Who will ever forget his 3-3 in the 2013 All Ireland final replay helping to secure Clare’s fourth Liam McCarthy. A winner of three All Ireland U21 titles and more man of the match awards than one could account for O’Donnell would without question walk onto any team, club or county in any era.
Despite all the success, he has a burning desire to win a coveted senior championship with Éire Óg. Given all he has won, it is remarkable that one of his fondest memories is winning an U15B title with the Ennis club, one of the few hurling medals he has at club level.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Shane outlined, “A club championship is everything, it’s the pinnacle really. I mean eleven years playing senior without success is horrific really. I’ve only ever won an Under 15B title and I can still name the team, the scorers, the subs that came on. I was also there when we won an intermediate title but was injured for the final. We are all acutely aware of the timeline, 22 years since the last final, 32 years since success, it’s way way too long”.
Preparing for the big day has to be soaked up, he acknowledged. “We have to enjoy this, embrace it, revel in it, enjoy the build up, the fanfare and all that comes with it. We’ve been so close losing semis and quarter finals by a point or two so although it’s great to be there we have to take the opportunity though”.
Success of the Éire Óg footballers last season has lifted the hurlers and the entire club, SOD said. “We had the watershed moment of the football last year and the dual players with their success have brought a relaxed atmosphere. We don’t feel pressure only from within our own group to succeed. Mattie and Paul with the footballers, their professionalism is amazing. Our management team have left no stone unturned. We all love coming to training, we have great craic and banter but we can be focused when we need to be and that’s the culture our management team have brought. Enjoy every moment but be ready when we have to be and that’s just, in my opinion a fantastic way of doing things”.
It is very evident to see the progress made in recent years and how the group both management and players as a whole have matured but how is it for Shane himself. “Personally I’m really enjoying it. I came back in April and to be honest there was a long period where I thought I might never hurl again. I had a few conversations with Brian (Lohan) about getting back on the pitch and I did. But for me it was all about that moment where I stopped fearing I was going to get another hit. The shackles sort of came off and the love of the game came back tenfold”
O’Donnell shows tremendous character bravery and application after what can only have been a dark period that very few people can fully fathom after missing the entire 2021 inter-county championship with a concussion injury . “I now think what’s the worst that can happen? I miss a shot or shoot a wide, it doesn’t mean anything after what I went through. I now play the game the way I want. Before people would mark me and think I would always pass it off and not take on the point but now I will. I have freedom in myself and I suppose I might be a bit harder to mark now,” he smiles.
Asked about how he feels Ballyea will approach marking him he is modest about his own impact and fulsome in his praise of his colleagues. “David Reidy was incredible the last day, probably his greatest performance in an Éire Óg jersey with each of his scores an essential one. Cian O’Dea did all the hard work for my goal, all I had to do was shoot. You’ve Darren O’Brien, Danny Russell, Gavin Cooney to name just a few that will take marking. We have a terrific bunch of lads and we will die for each other”.
On the familiarity with the Ballyea players O’Donnell references family. “There is no bad blood at all amongst anyone in the Clare set up. We are like a family. We get on so well and the banter will be great but all bets are off when that ball is thrown in. What happens between the lines will always stay between the lines, even the last day the Bridge lads were saying things while we played but afterwards we met up and it was back to being great friends. That is the beauty of hurling”.
Success of Paul Madden’s footballers in 2021 has strengthened the belief of the entire club, Shane said. “To see the whole town here last year, the flares going off in the dark, the party atmosphere. We have to replicate that. We simply must give it everything and we will give it everything”.
Pushed for a yes or no answer on will they win O’Donnell smiling simply says, “yes.”
Only time will tell will O’Donnell be granted his wish of success with his club. What is for certain though, is no real hurling supporter, male or female would begrudge one of Clare’s greatest ever sons a senior championship medal.
