Latest news with #ShaneO'Donnell
The Irish Sun
01-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Shane O'Donnell hints at retirement plans as he admits future of Clare GAA stars ‘up in the air' after All-Ireland exit
SHANE O'DONNELL says Clare's sour season could tempt him to stay on. The reigning Hurler of the Year thought 2025 would be his final farewell after winning his second All-Ireland last summer . 2 Shane O'Donnell suggested he could stay on for 2026 Credit: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile 2 Clare were dumped out of the championship in Munster Credit: John Sheridan/Sportsfile But he missed the bulk of the season with a shoulder injury as the Banner's Liam MacCarthy defence blew up in smoke. Championship . And the Éire Óg clubman admits he would find it hard to quit senior He said: 'Obviously, I've thought about it, but it's probably not the time to make any decisions, really. I had talked about this year being my last year. Read More on GAA 'I can't remember if one of yourselves reprimanded me on saying this every year, so I can't remember who it was. 'So I'm a bit more careful about how I phrase this. 'I think we had genuinely intended, a number of us had intended, for this to be the last year. 'With how disappointing it ended, it makes it very difficult to hang up the boots . It's still up there. Most read in GAA Hurling 'I don't know, to be honest.' Lethal forward O'Donnell, along with team-mates Tony Kelly, 31, John Conlon, 36, and David McInerney, 32, are the sole survivors from Clare's class of 2013 who went all the way to lifting the All-Ireland under Davy Fitzgerald 11 years ago. 'Lots of fight' - RTE GAA pundits react to Sean O'Shea's 'very interesting' interview after Kerry dethrone Armagh And the Ennis native, 31, admits what some of his team-mates do next will have a massive impact on his decision. He said: 'It depends on a number of factors, not least, whether other players are staying or going. It definitely will be up in the air until the end of this year. 'I think in your mind you're kind of thinking, 'Yeah, do you know what, things like last year, we're at that level now, so there's no way we're not going to go again'. 'But then we'll see what happens essentially. 'When push came to shove after, I remember the week of our last game against 'I kind of turned to Davie Mac and just said, 'That's our last Tuesday session ever'. 'And he just looked at me and I was under the impression he was going to be leaving. 'He just turned to me and was like, 'No,' basically. 'And even in the couple of weeks before that, I had a very kind of compressed campaign of being very aware that these could be my last games with Clare and it started to become quite uncomfortable. 'But I will also say that I'm not of the same mindset as Tony, so I don't intend to be scraped off the floor of a Clare dressing room to get me out of there. 'I will hopefully be able to walk out on my two feet. 'But I think there is that group that has played there for so long, it is hard. 'And it's going to be a big decision from the first person to move out. 'And then if that person moves, then I think the rest of them will flow pretty quickly.' l CLARE hurler Shane O'Donnell, former Kilkenny hurler Walter Walsh and Wexford hurler Lee Chin joined Bord Gáis Energy Retrofit Manager Valerie Hand and Director of Marketing at Bord Gáis Energy, Meadhbh Quinn to kick off their new solar campaign. With €400 off, there's never been a better time to switch to solar with Bord Gáis Energy – Ireland's most trusted name in home solar installations. Book your free consultation today and make the smart move for your home – backed by a 25-year panel warranty, 24-hour monitoring, and SEAI-registered installers. Go to for more details.
Irish Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Shane O'Donnell hint on Clare future, fellow double All-Ireland winners' plans
Shane O'Donnell says a number of Clare's All-Ireland winning veterans had intended for this to be their last season. But, he reckons the way the Banner's defence of the Liam MacCarthy Cup ended - with a surprise Munster Championship exit - makes it very difficult for their older hands to hang up their boots. 2024 Hurler of the Year O'Donnell, whose season was blighted by a serious shoulder issue which required surgery, had intended to head to America for work with his girlfriend. However, he says 'the gloss' has been taken off America in recent months and that they may now look at Australia as an alternative down the line. This could be good news for Clare hurling fans, but O'Donnell reckons that if one of their experienced cohort does decide to go, others may follow. Tony Kelly is already on record as saying he would have to be scraped off the floor of the Clare dressing room rather than retire. O'Donnell is a different character: 'I think in your mind you're thinking, 'Do you know what, things like last year (All-Ireland win), we're at that level now,'' said the Éire Óg club man. 'So there's no way we're not going to go again. But we'll see what happens, essentially. 'When push came to shove, I remember the week of our game against Limerick - obviously we were out at this stage and the Tuesday training had just wrapped up. 'I turned to Davie Mc(Inerney) and just said, 'That's our last Tuesday session ever.' 'I was under the impression he was going to be leaving. He just turned to me and was like, 'no' basically. 'I think when it comes down to it, it becomes very difficult to actually take that step away. 'Even in the couple of weeks before that - I had a very compressed campaign - I was very aware that these could be my last games with Clare. And it started to become quite uncomfortable. 'But I will also say that I'm not of the same mindset as Tony, so I don't intend to be scraped off the floor of a Clare dressing room to get me out of there. 'I will hopefully be able to walk out on my two feet. But I think there is that group that have played there for so long - it is hard. 'It's going to be a big decision from the first person to move out. Then, if that person moves, then I think the rest of them will flow pretty quickly.' The Ennis man, who is based in Dublin and Clare, continued: 'We saw a lot of opportunities to talk at the end of last year after we had our win. We just said that this year was probably going to be our last year. 'A lot of us actually explicitly had plans to leave and weren't going to be available for the year after. 'It wasn't one isolated conversation or it wasn't a one-to-one. I wouldn't say it was an agreement, but that was definitely the path we were going to go, which has changed slightly.' The veterans of their 2013 All-Ireland victory under Davy Fitzgerald are O'Donnell, McInerney, Kelly and the daddy of them all, John Conlon. Management wise, O'Donnell reckons no news means good news and that Brian Lohan is likely to stay on for a seventh year, a move he would welcome. 'I have no actual information about it,' he continued. 'I know that Brian cares deeply about the continuity of Clare hurling. 'No news I would expect to mean as he feels like he wants to stay, or is going to stay. Because if he wants to stay, he will be. Obviously, we all want him. 'I think he would not make a decision late in the year and decide, 'Oh, actually I'm not going to go (on),' and then leave Clare searching for a manager. He would never do something like that. 'The fact we haven't heard anything I think maybe gives some indication. But that's all I have to go on.' For himself, O'Donnell says now is not the time to make any decisions on his own future. 'Obviously, I've thought about it,' he says. 'I had talked about this year being my last year. 'I can't remember if one of yourselves (journalists) reprimanded me on saying this every year. 'So I'm a bit more careful about how I phrase this. I think a number of us had genuinely intended for this to be the last year. 'With how disappointing it ended, it makes it very difficult to hang up the boots. 'I don't know, to be honest. It depends on a number of factors. Not least whether other players are staying or going. It definitely will be up in the air until the end of this year. 'When other players make that decision, then we'll see. My girlfriend and I initially talked about going to the States. But for us at the moment, the States is a less appealing place to be honest. 'The whole visa thing has got a lot more complicated, so that is probably off the cards. 'We'll still be looking to go somewhere like Australia, but that does push the timeline out a small bit more, so it's (playing on for Clare) potentially available.' **** Clare hurler Shane O'Donnell was promoting Bord Gáis Energy's new solar campaign. With €400 off, there's never been a better time to switch to solar with Bord Gáis Energy – Ireland's most trusted name in home solar installations.
Irish Examiner
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Clare hurlers' retirement pact may be put on ice
Shane O'Donnell has revealed that he and a group of Clare's most decorated hurling performers privately pencilled in 2025 to retire. The reigning Hurler of the Year has stopped short of calling it quits after their nightmare season though, and could yet be convinced to stick around. O'Donnell, David McInerney, Tony Kelly, Seadna Morey, Peter Duggan, and John Conlon all won their second All-Ireland medals last year having previously featured in the 2013 win. Speaking at the launch of Bord Gais Energy's new solar campaign, O'Donnell said that the veteran players decided after last year's MacCarthy Cup success to give it one more season and then quit. "We kind of just said that this year was probably going to be our last year," said O'Donnell. "A lot of us actually explicitly had plans to leave (after 2025) and weren't going to be available for the year after. "It wasn't one isolated conversation, or it wasn't a one-to-one chat. It was kind of, I wouldn't say it was an agreement but it that was definitely kind of the path we were going to go, which has changed slightly." Clare hurler Shane O'Donnell joined Bord Gáis Energy Retrofit Manager Valerie Hand to kick off the new solar campaign. Go to for more details. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile Clare won just one of their Munster round robin games, defeating Limerick in the final round when qualification for the All-Ireland series was already beyond their reach. Brian Lohan's side also lost five of their six National League games and suffered relegation to Division 1B. Bowing out on that note may not sit well with players and O'Donnell revealed a conversation he had with McInerney which suggested he for one had already changed his tune about retiring. "I remember the week of our game against Limerick, obviously we were out at this stage and it was the Tuesday training and we'd kind of just wrapped up a session," said O'Donnell. "I kind of turned to Davie Mac and just said, 'That's our last Tuesday session ever'. He just looked at me, and I was under the impression he was going to be leaving, but he just turned to me and was like, 'Nah', basically. "I think when it comes down to it, it becomes very difficult to actually take that step away. Even in the couple of weeks before that, and I had a very compressed campaign, I was very aware that these could be my last games with Clare. And it started to become quite uncomfortable. "It's going to be a big decision from the first person to move out. And then if that person moves, then I think the rest of them will flow pretty quickly." O'Donnell said it was a bittersweet season for him personally having made it back to compete in the Championship despite being told at the start of the year that he'd be out for six months with a shoulder injury. "I actually just think about that result against Tipperary and think that it could have been one of the greatest days of my career," he said. "Coming back after everything I put into getting back on the pitch, if we'd just won. But now I don't want to think about it because we didn't. It essentially torpedoed our campaign." O'Donnell, 31, had previously indicated that he would be heading to the US in 2026 to work but said that is 'less appealing' now due to visa difficulties. What's certain for O'Donnell is that even if a large group of players do retire, Clare will cope. "I don't personally feel in any way concerned that a few of us will rotate out and that there will be a Clare drop off at all," he said. "I just don't see that being a problem at all. I think the talent is there, the attitude in the middle and younger group is exceptional. I'm not concerned at all about their capacity to take on that (responsibility)."
The Irish Sun
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Clare would not have won All-Ireland without Shane O'Donnell and Tony Kelly – Brian Lohan needs them to win it again
CLARE would not have won the All-Ireland title last year without the magical pairing of Shane O'Donnell and Tony Kelly. Stalwarts David McInerney and John Conlon did their bit too, despite their ages. 2 Shane O'Donnell and Tony Kelly could both feature for Clare against Tipperary Credit: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile 2 Babs Keating believes Clare can't win All-Ireland without them Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile McInerney is 32, Conlon is 35 and Brian Lohan's fab four are the sole survivors from Davy Fitzgerald's 2013 All-Ireland replay-winning team — although Peter Duggan was a panellist that season. The big news is O'Donnell's return to Lohan's bench for the visit of Tipperary's to Ennis this evening, but how fit is last season's Hurler of the Year? A shoulder injury has kept him out all year and he said himself last month that he had only resumed light running. Kelly missed their loss to Waterford at Walsh Park through illness, but is restored to the starting line-up today. Read More on GAA Lohan needs them both to rescue Clare's summer and hang on to Liam MacCarthy. Without their star duo, the performance in Walsh Park was flat and Peter Queally's men taught them a lesson with a 2-23 to 0-21 win. The players they needed to step up in the absence of Kelly and O'Donnell failed to do so. David Fitzgerald, Duggan, David Reidy, Mark Rodgers, Aidan McCarthy, Adam Hogan and Conor Leen didn't come anywhere near the levels that propelled the Banner to All-Ireland glory last July. Most read in Sport If anything, they regressed and Clare's situation is perilous, with just one point from two games. Tipp are in the same position ahead of tonight's game in Ennis, but the outlook is brighter for Liam Cahill than Lohan despite that 4-27 to 0-24 loss in Cork a fortnight ago. 'It's a failure on the camogie association' - RTE GAA pundits don't sit on fence over 'no-brainer' skorts saga My early lessons as a Tipperary player are applicable to what I saw from the current crop against the Rebels. I was 19, going on 20 in the league final 61 years ago. I went to the half-back line and I picked up a ball behind Tony Wall and let fly without looking or thinking what I was doing. I was talking to Tony at training and he said to me, 'You're a good hurler — but nobody in a blue and gold jersey has the right to hit a ball unless he's got a reason for it'. Apply that to what I saw in Cork last Sunday week and there were so many instances I could pick out. In fairness to Barry Hogan his puck-outs were spot on and had a lovely trajectory. That's so important now but Clare don't get that level of quality from Eibhear Quilligan. Tipperary need Ronan Maher to stand up and be counted more as captain if Cahill's men are to get out of Munster. When I was manager, we brought in a sports psychologist but it was only a box-ticking exercise as far as I was concerned. She put up a slide that said 99 per cent concentration can result in 100 per cent failure. That was the thing that resonated with me more than anything. She followed it up with a slide showing a stage of the Tour de France, where a rider had cycled for 2½ hours in the Alps. He came into a short straight and threw his arms up into the air, but was pipped on the line by about an inch and a half. That's what she meant by 99 per cent concentration can become 100 per cent failure. That was obvious in Cork's three early goals. TOO SLOW The Tipp defence were just that second too slow to address the ball coming in. Cahill has been around long enough to see what I saw and it was a bad beating in the first half. But if you remove those mistakes and factor in that Tipp were down to 14 men following the dismissal of Darragh McCarthy, there was very little between the teams. Experience counts for so much in the modern game. We see it with Patrick Horgan and Séamus Harnedy in Cork, Stephen Bennett and Jamie Barron in Waterford, John and Noel McGrath in Tipp and the plethora of names that John Kiely can call upon with Limerick. If Tipp produce what they did against the Treaty when they battled to a draw, they will pip the Banner by about an inch and a half. Leinster hurling is nearly forgotten about with so much focus on Munster, but Kilkenny will win that race and take their sixth consecutive provincial title. Whatever about the state of hurling in Leinster, winning the Bob O'Keeffe Cup still comes with the massive prize of an All-Ireland semi-final berth. It's great to see Offaly back in senior hurling, but a result at Nowlan Park this evening is beyond the Faithful County. Galway have been disappointing since Micheál Donoghue's return but they are a team in transition. At the same time, even without the suspended Daithí Burke, they should have too much in Salthill for a Wexford team totally reliant on Lee Chin to do the business. The only game I'm reluctant to call is Antrim's clash with Dublin at Corrigan Park. If the Dubs were at home, I'd be opting for them but the Saffrons badly need a result to boost their survival hopes. Eoin Cody's 1-13 ensured the Cats left Corrigan Park unscathed last time out, but Davy Fitzgerald will take huge positives from that performance and hope to better their 2-12 scoreline. Dublin have won two from two, but they could definitely slip up in Belfast. I fancy Galway to finish second after a disastrous campaign last year, when they failed to get out of Leinster. Either way, Bob O'Keeffe will stay on Noreside as Kilkenny will win the final. And there will be one hell of a scrap for third place.
Irish Daily Mirror
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
GAA team news and squad lists as All-Ireland champions receive dramatic boost
All-Ireland champions Clare have recalled Hurler of the Year, Shane O'Donnell to their squad for the crunch Munster round robin encounter with Tipperary at Cusack Park. The loser of Saturday evening's Ennis tie will be staring elimination from the All-Ireland race full in the face. If Clare are beaten, they'll have to win in Limerick in their final game to have any chance of going forward to defend their crown. If Tipperary lose, their home tie with Waterford becomes a must-win affair. A draw this weekend would keep the hopes of both sides alive. O'Donnell hasn't featured all year for Clare after undergoing shoulder surgery, with initital fears he would be out for the season. Clare also have Tony Kelly back after he missed last weekend's defeat in Waterford due to illness. Kelly is named to start, with O'Donnell on the bench, as David Fitzgerald drops out of the starting line-up. Captain Conor Cleary is still sidelined and not in the 26 man squad, and the same goes for wing back Diarmuid Ryan, who only lasted minutes of the Round 1 draw with Cork. Tipperary, who lost heavily to Cork last time out after Darragh McCarthy's opening minute red card, have changed goalkeeper with Rhys Shelly coming in for Barry Hogan. With McCarthy suspended, Andrew Ormond starts in attack, with Conor Stakelum and Noel McGrath named to start in place of Darragh Stakelum and Conor Bowe. Elsewhere, Galway have recalled Tom Monaghan to their starting line-up in place of Daithi Burke for their encounter with Wexford. Burke was red carded in the win over Offaly last time out and misses the game through suspension. Eoin Cody isn't named in the Kilkenny 26 man squad for their game with Offaly, with TJ Reid replacing him. Harry Shine comes in for Fionan Mackessy, with David Blanchfield replacing Richie Reid, in three changes from the win in Antrim last time out. On the football front, Armagh have recalled All Star forward Conor Turbitt for their Ulster Final encounter with Donegal at Clones. Turbitt, who came off the bench in the semi-final win over Tyrone, starts in place of Tomas McCormack. Jarlath Og Burns is also named despite doubts over his fitness. Donegal have named the same side which started the Ulster semi-final victory over Down. In Leinster football final team news, Meath have recalled Jack Flynn to their midfield for the meeting with Louth at Croke Park. Flynn missed the semi-final win over Dublin due to injury. He was replaced by Adam O'Neill, who is back on the bench this weekend. Louth have named the same side which edged Kildare out in the semi-final, although Ciaran Byrne is back on the bench after injury ruled him out last time. Byrne hit 1-3 in the quarter-final win over Laois. Ciaran Keenan is also in the subs, so Louth have firepower in reserve. ARMAGH: E Rafferty, P Burns, B McCambridge, P McGrane, R McQuillan, G McCabe, J Og Burns, Callum O'Neill, B Crealey, D McMullan, R Grugan, O Conaty, C Turbitt, A Murnin, O O'Neill. SUBS: B Hughes, A Forker, T McCormack, Connaire Mackin, J Duffy, N Grimley, S McPartlan, C McConville, T Kelly, S Campbell, J Hall. DONEGAL: S Patton, F Roarty, B McCole, P Mogan, R McHugh, S McMenamin, C Moore, C Thompson, M Langan, D Ó Baoill, C O'Donnell, S O'Donnell, P McBrearty, M Murphy, O Gallen. SUBS: G Mulreany, M Curran, O McFadden Ferry, O Doherty, A Doherty, E McHugh, J McGee, J Brennan, H McFadden, N O'Donnell, C McGonagle. MEATH: B Hogan, S Lavin, S Rafferty, B O'Halloran, D Keogan, S Coffey, C Caulfield, B Menton, J Flynn, C Duke, R Kinsella, K Curtis, M Costello, J Conlon, E Frayne. SUBS: S Brennan, S Walsh, R Ryan, A O'Neill, D McGowan, C O'Sullivan, J McEntee, R Jones, A Lynch, E Harkin, C Hickey. LOUTH: N McDonnell, D Nally, D Campbell, D McKenny, C McKeever, P Lynch, C Lennon, T Durnin, A McDonnell, P Matthews, C Downey, C Grimes, K McArdle, S Mulroy, R Burns. SUBS: T Markey, L Jackson, A Williams, E Carolan, C Byrne, D McDonnell, D Corcoran, C Branigan, C Keenan, D McKeown, B Duffy. CLARE: E Quilligan, A Hogan, Darragh Lohan, C Lean, C Galvin, J Conlon, D McInerney, S Rynne, C Malone, T Kelly, M Rodgers, S Meehan, R Taylor, P Duggan, D Reidy. SUBS: E Foudy, Daithi Lohan, Ross Hayes, Rory Hayes, P Donnellan, A Shanaher, D Fitzgerald, J O'Neill, I Gavlin, S O'Donnell, S Woods. TIPPERARY: R Shelly, R Doyle, E Connolly, M Breen, S O'Farrell, R Maher, B O'Mara, A Tynan, C Morgan, C Stakelum, A Ormond, N McGrath, J Morris, J McGrath, J Forde. SUBS: Barry Hogan, J Caesar, W Connors, S Kenneally, S Kennedy, P McGarry, B McGrath, O O'Donoghue, J Ryan, D Stakelum, B Seymour. GALWAY: D Fahy, P Mannion, F Burke, D Morrissey, C Fahy, G Lee, TJ Brennan, David Burke, T Monaghan, J Fleming, C Mannion, T Killeen, C Whelan, B Concannon, C Molloy. SUBS: E Murphy, J Grealish, J Ryan, S Cooney, S Linnane, R Glennon, D O'Shea, C Cooney, J Rabbitte, A Burns. WEXFORD: M Fanning, S Reck, L Ryan, S Donohoe, C Foley, D Reck, E Ryan, C Hearne, C McGuckin, R Lawlor, L Chin, K Foley, C Dunbar, R O'Connor, C Byrne. SUBS: A Kennedy, S Casey, N Murphy, D Carley, J O'Connor, C Molloy, J Redmond, C Byrne Dunbar, M Dwyer, D Codd, C McDonald. DUBLIN: E Gibbons, J Bellew, P Smyth, C McHugh, P Doyle, C Crummey, A Dunphy, C Burke, C Donohue, B Hayes, C O'Sullivan, D Power, S Currie, J Hetherton, R Hayes. SUBS: S Brennan, D Burke, C Currie, P Dunleavy, A Jamieson-Murphy, D Lucey, J Madden, R McBride, I Ó hEithir, C O'Riain, F Whitely. ANTRIM: R Elliott, S Rooney, N O'Connor, P Burke, J Maskey, C Boyd, C Bohill, E Campbell, G Walsh, K Molloy, R McCambridge, S Walsh, C Johnston, J McNaughton, N Elliott. SUBS: C McFadden, E McFerran, R McGarry, R McCloskey, D McCloskey, S McKay, J McLaughlin, P Boyle, E O'Neill, C McKeown, A McGarry. OFFALY: M Troy, B Conneely, C Burke, J Mahon, R Ravenhill, D Shirley, J Sampson, C King, C Spain, K Sampson, D Bourke, O Kelly, D Ravenhill, C Mitchell, B Duignan. SUBS: L Hoare, E Burke, S Bourke, D Nally, E Cahill, D King, B Kavanagh, P Cantwell, J Clancy, B Miller, L Watkins. KILKENNY: E Murphy, M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh, D Blanchfield, M Carey, P Deegan, C Kenny, J Molloy, H Shine, J Donnelly, B Ryan, S Donnelly, M Keoghan, TJ Reid. SUBS: A Tallis, P Moylan, K Doyle, P McDonald, A Mullen, L Hogan, F Mackessy, B Drennan, O Wall, G Dunne, L Connellan.
