Clare's Shane O'Donnell has suggested that this year could be his last year in a Clare jersey because of desired work commitments abroad.
The 29-year-old has been hurling with the "Banner" for a number of years now and broke onto the scene when he scored a hat-trick of goals in the first nineteen minutes against Cork in 2013.
The Ennis native is one of the mainstays of the current Clare team in 2024, but claimed in an interview that a decision regarding what's more important to him, his working career or his playing career, could be made very soon.
The Clare man spent several months at Harvard University in Boston in 2018–2019 and admits that working in the USA is something he’d love to do.
“Ideally in America, but the big thing in America is being able to get a visa,” said O’Donnell in an interview with the GAA
“The company I work for has somewhat of a base in America, so it would possibly be an opportunity in the next year or two to move with them.
Because of this, O'Donnell has not ruled out staying in the States full-time and has admitted his Clare days may come to an end sooner rather than later.
Shane O'Donnell, Podge Collins, and Peter Duggan during the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 3 match between Clare and Tipperary at Cusack Park in Ennis, Co. Clare. (Photo By Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile via Getty Images) )“I kind of mentioned last year that I'm taking it a year at a time, and that's definitely how I'm thinking about it at the moment. I wouldn't rule out playing next year, but I wouldn't be absolutely certain I would either," he added.
“I think it's more about work...I want to work abroad and move abroad 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.
“That's kind of my thinking. It's a challenging decision to make, obviously. It's not one I would make lightly. I'm basically just taking it a year at a time at the moment.”
Clare returns to Munster SHC action when they play Waterford on May 19, and O'Donnell is expected to play a big part in that game. O'Donnell, who was excellent in the Limerick and Cork games, has also thanked his manager, Brian Lohan, for allowing him to be flexible when it comes to game time with his home county. This is a key part of their relationship, according to O'Donnell.
"I would thank Brian openly and have thanked him as well for how he’s allowed me to maybe flex within what he wants and do what’s best for me,he said.
"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 me in the best position for the championship.
"I think that’s kind of the unwritten contract there! As long as I am performing and doing what needs to be done for the team, I think he’s willing to work with me there. And I think both of us are happy with that, or at least I am, and I hope he is."
