CLARE STAR SHANE O’Donnell says he would like to see the hurling leagues scrapped as he considers whether or not he will play at inter-county level in 2025.
O’Donnell says he sees little value in playing matches in January for either players or fans, and suggests that the championship should be extended as an alternative to league competitions. The scoring sensation from the 2013 All-Ireland final has experienced the benefits of such a schedule in recent seasons, winning back-to-back All-Stars in 2022 and 2023 after returning to the fold later in the year.
O’Donnell concedes that such a dramatic change to the hurling structure is unlikely to be achieved soon, but argues that players would be better for it.
“If I had my way, I would just extend the championship and get rid of the league, just have a long championship and not have multiple different competitions.
“I think it would give players the opportunity to take championship as seriously as possible and players peaking would be targeted at your championship games. I don’t think any player values January games. I don’t think they replicate what it’s like to play championship or big games later in the year.”
Part of O’Donnell’s reasoning for this proposal is linked with conversations he has had with former Clare teammate Podge Collins. Collins, who was also an All-Ireland winner in 2013, is a dual player and has recently retired from inter-county football.
“He [Collins] would obviously have a more football mindset at the moment, and he’s explaining how football is quite different. They really value a lot of the league games and I think de-coupling how hurling and football is run has started to happen but they’re two very different sports. I don’t think they need to look alike in their structures.
“Keeping the football league makes sense, and from my perspective, getting rid of the hurling leagues make sense.”
O’Donnell didn’t feature for Brian Lohan’s side until the league semi-final this year due to injury, but has appeared energetic and lively in the opening two rounds in the Munster championship. He scored a point against Limerick while also providing the assist for Aidan McCarthy’s goal. He added 1-1 against Cork last weekend as Clare got their provincial charge back on track ahead of a three-week break.
O’Donnell believes that those performances are rooted in his extended break at the start of the year and the “mental freshness” that comes with it. Looking more specifically at the Cork game, the manner in which O’Donnell’s side reacted to their defeat to Limerick accounts for why they delivered in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
“There were a lot of emotions the day or two after, ranging from disappointment to just being angry. I’d say we managed to put that behind us after the first day. We sat down and talked about what happened and kind of reflected on it. Then we came into training later in the week and lads showed brilliant application.
“There were a number of issues [against Limerick]. It was probably just losing men at critical moments in the game. The third goal is a perfect example, where Gearoid Hegarty is up on his own close to our goal. It’s non-negotiable, it’s a schoolboy error. It happened for maybe slightly more complicated reasons than you’d think at first sight. But it’s just not appropriate in a championship game and ultimately it cost us the game.”
O’Donnell credits manager Lohan for accommodating him to start his season after a longer rest, and notes that there is an “unwritten contract” which implies that he can continue with the arrangement provided he can sustain his high performance levels. He recalls how it first came about after his horrible experience with concussion in 2021.
“That kind of set the precedent, and then I had an okay year, so it made that decision a bit easier. But then Brian has been extremely mature and frankly brilliant about it, allowing me to make that decision for myself as to what gets myself in the best position for championship.”
O’Donnell was just 19 when he announced himself to the stage with a hat-trick of goals in an All-Ireland final just over a decade ago. Looking towards the future, and what remains of his time in a Clare jersey, the Éire Óg clubman maintains that he will decide on a year-by-year basis. He has other ambitions he wishes to pursue with work and travel which will factored in at some point.
“I wouldn’t rule out playing next year but I wouldn’t be absolutely certain I would either. I think it’s more about work…I want to work abroad [America] and take that opportunity while I still have it and strike while the iron is hot in some sense from my work perspective and where I’m at with that.
“It’s a challenging decision to make, obviously. It’s not I would make lightly. I’m basically just taking it a year at time at the moment.”
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