Four tackles, four evasions, goal of the championship.
Shane O’Donnell didn’t just rally Clare back into the All-Ireland semi-final, he inspired the youth of Ireland to spend their Sunday evenings selling dummies out their back yards and slamming sliotars in through their plastic posts.
The Banner were at the wrong side of the result on Sunday and, unfortunately for them, their summer is over but some things go way beyond the months of inter-county hurling and they stand the test of time so much more effectively than a W or L beside your name in the results section.
Throughout the 160 minutes of momentous hurling served up between Galway and Clare over the last two weekends, men from both counties lit the fires in bellies all over the country and produced moments of pure magic that club players, youth players and maybe even players who are already past it will be trying to replicate until they conquer or fail.
From Peter Duggan to Joe Canning, from Donal Tuohy to Johnny Glynn, heroes are made in Croke Park and Thurles and idols are formed and, under the most intense scrutiny, in the whitest of heats, players stood up and performed pieces of skill that will last forever.
Imagine spending your life not watching hurling. Never don't watch a game of hurling.
Never don't!https://t.co/zodzJ9EMPS— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) July 29, 2018
During the replay in the heart of Munster hurling, there was any number of moments you could point to as your takeaway.
James Skehill saving Galway at the death. Canning striking over yet another sideline cut. Tony Kelly. Peter Duggan of course. And Shane bloody O’Donnell.
With seven points between the sides, with under half an hour remaining, O’Donnell exploded the semi into life by raising not just any old green flag – but doing it with one of the most mesmerising plays of the season.
The way he read the break, the way he scooped it up and spun out of the first challenge, rode the next foul, cut inside another tackle and, finally, seemed to stop time as he predicted David Burke’s last-gasp tackle to the letter and flicked the ball over his hurl as he fainted the shot, it was all just genius.
The result was a bouncing sliotar at the other side of the gauntlet and one hammer of a shot from O’Donnell who finished a quite remarkable move with vicious ruthlessness.
Pace, skill, poise, composure, skill, anticipation, craft and skill.
Pure brilliance.
GOAL! Shane O Donnell with a fantastic goal for Clare! pic.twitter.com/elWDJXSiWV
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 5, 2018
