Clare’s Shane O’Donnell chats redemption, life as a sole forward and a local derby with Limerick

Playing catch up

2014 was a season of frustration for Clare’s Shane O’Donnell, who only played a bit-part role in his county’s senior failure to defend Liam McCarthy while injury also ruled him out of much of their third U21 All-Ireland success in-a-row.

The Ennis man is back to full fitness this season and his performances in the final league games of the season against Kilkenny proved the hat-trick hero of the 2013 All-Ireland final replay is very much back to his best.

At today’s launch of the 2015 Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling U-21 All-Ireland Championships we chatted local rivalry’s ahead of their Munster opener with Limerick, and how the UCC student has worked to regain his fitness as well as how Championship very much is Championship.

What’s it like as player in the week of a Championship game?

In the league you play games and some might describe it as ‘almost Championship pace’ but there is nothing like the real thing. Championship is where you want to be and I can’t wait for it. It’s hard to explain how different it is. On the surface it’s still the same. I’m not sure how to define it  – you have less time and you can’t get away with mistakes the same way you can in league. It’s just a different feeling.

How has Clare recovered after being relegated?

We were all hugely disappointed after relegation but we’ve trained hard and we’re looking forward to going into the Championship to redeem ourselves. We didn’t think we were that disappointing in the league, just obviously in a few games.

You played as a lone forward in the first league game with Kilkenny and caused lots of problems. How do you feel that suits you?

Any forward would love to tell you that they would love wide open spaces and any back will tell you that it’s what they hate. Any player in left in that position is going to revel in it. Sometimes you’re an only option and the ball has to come to you and all you want in a game is the ball to be coming to you.

Is it important for Clare to be out early and get a Championship game under their belt 

I don’t think there is much difference to be honest between May and June.  We’ve been training for months and a few weeks either way isn’t going to make a huge difference but I’m delighted to be getting ready for Sunday.

2014 was a disaster for you injury wise – how is the body now?

I’m feeling good, a lot better than I was this time last year. I’ve done a lot of work on my hamstrings and hopefully the same thing doesn’t happen. Last year was not ideal at all and fairly devastating.

How are things within Clare now?

The atmosphere is good, things are great among the lads. We know that at this stage we’ve put in the work and it’s easy for everyone to be not relaxed but confident at this stage.

Have you seen or spoken to Davy O’Halloran since he left the panel?

I haven’t been talking to him much really. I wouldn’t run into him to be honest because he’s training with club and I wouldn’t be training with Eire Og really. I’ve met him a few times and chatted away to him so it seems to be going well for him with the footballers at the moment. And Nicky (O Connell)  is back in and flying as he was before. Things are great in the squad.

How do you assess Limerick’s form going into Sunday?

I think every Championship game provides a special atmosphere and then when it’s a derby game even more so. I think it will be very close and Limerick are a very good team and even Cian (Lynch of Limerick) was saying earlier that they are mad for Sunday.

Is there pressure on both sides after a disappointing league campaign?

I don’t think there’s anymore pressure than any other side going into championship. We’ve put in a lot of work and you feel the pressure to perform but you don’t put extra pressure on yourself to perform with doubts over how the game will go. The U21 Championship is so different where every game could be your last, and that’s a serious concern, especially when you’ve had a few of prolonged summers it can be a shock if your year is cut short.

How important is the U21 grade as a transition to senior hurling?

It’s massive – I was fortunate I was called by Davy straight from minor but if you’re not then it’s your main route to go from minor to senior level. David Reidy from my own club (Eire Og) wouldn’t have played minor or anything like that and he made it to the u21’s and made it to senior and now he could be starting the weekend facing Limerick. It’s plain to see the players you pick out as household names now because they played U21.

How have the players reacted to Donal Maloney now being a sole manger without Gerry O’Connor?

Gerry was great to have in there but at the same time Donal is a fantastic manger and if you met him you’d see the knowledge and aura he brings to things. He’s brought in a good management team around him. We don’t really train with the U21s, but we go watch training and anytime you’re there things are as seamless as they were before. It’s easy for U21’s to start a new leaf and be like ‘it’s a new team’ and not to be thinking about the past and three-in-a-row or four-in-a-row because the team changes every year. Thinking about success or what a team achieved before just builds pressure and that’s not really what you want.

What’s your secret to relaxing?

‘I play a lot of computer, Fifa, Call of Duty. Nicky O Connell will love this but I’d say he’s the Fifa king in the dressing room.

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10