He had mooted it at the end of last year. 2026 will be last season Shane O’Donnell will don the blue and gold of Clare.
That said, there is still some important business for the Éire Óg Ennis clubman to tend to with the Banner preparing for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Limerick.
O’Donnell already has two Liam MacCarthy medals to his name. He is determined to add a third. The drive is still there on a day he confirmed to RTÉ Sport his intention to call time on an illustrious inter-county career.
“This year will be the last time to play with Clare so I’m looking to go out on a high,” said the 32-year-old, when speaking at a GAA/GPA/Nuvion Nutrition promotion at Croke Park.
Going all the way will mean that Clare first will have to atone for their below-par showing against Limerick in the Munster round-robin, but O’Donnell is keen to get another crack at the neighbours, this time on the biggest stage of all.
“We would have been disappointed earlier in the year with our performance against Limerick so we would have taken any opportunity to get to play them again,” the 2024 player of the year added.
“To be able to do it in Croke Park is just brilliant, so I’m looking forward to the day. It is a real opportunity.
“Every chance we get to come up here is a privilege because in the week building up to the game, in training, you realise that these are the best days to put on a Clare jersey. I enjoy it a lot more now. In my younger days there was a lot more fear coming into it but now that I’m coming up to the last game ot two that I’ll play here, you can take it in a little bit more.
“I enjoy it a lot more now. In my younger days there was a lot more fear coming into it but now that I’m coming up to the last game or two that I’ll play here, you can take it in a little bit more.”
The days with Clare will soon be behind him but O’Donnell sees good things for the county beyond his tenure, with the Banner recently celebrating an All-Ireland Under-20 success.
“The future is safe hands to be honest in Clare,” he boasted.
“There are brilliant players coming through and we saw that with the 20s this year. Even from the minors players who have emerged, in Niall O’Farrell, Diarmuid Stritch and others, all making their mark. They all have serious heads on their shoulders, have had a lot of guidance are in better position than I was when I was in their position.
“They have played and performed on big days. The future is bright.”
O’Donnell, who is a PhD graduate in microbiology and former Harvard University scholarship student, intends to move abroad.
Other adventures to come, not dictated by the club and county schedule at home.
“I’ll be able to go on holidays in the summer time and hang out with friends, control your diary a small bit more. In all, just looking forward to some of the simpler things.”
Watch the All-Ireland Camogie Championship quarter-finals, Waterford v Kilkenny on Saturday from 12.45pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, and Clare v Tipperary on Sunday from 1.15pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
Watch the All-Ireland Hurling Championship semi-finals, Cork v Galway on Saturday from 2.45pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, and Limerick v Clare on Sunday from 3.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
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