Shane O'Donnell's terrible week in the build-up to the All-Ireland final
The Clare star went through the ringer before helping his side shoot down Cork in the decider
Shane O’Donnell has opened up on his “terrible week” as he faced a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Clare’s All-Ireland decider triumph over Cork.
O’Donnell went through the ringer with his emotions “extraordinarily high” as he struggled with a torn hamstring sustained just five days out from the final.
The Eire Og Ennis man, confirming the speculation circulating in the county last week, revealed that he sustained the injury on Tuesday night and went for an MRI scan that showed the mildest tear - a Grade 1A - in his left hamstring.
11 years on from hitting a 19 minute hat-trick as a 19 year old in the 2013 All-Ireland final replay victory over Cork, O’Donnell didn’t know if he would be able to start the 2024 decider until just before throw-in.
In the end, the 30 year old lasted 80 minutes before succumbing to cramp in his right quad, having earlier suffered a shoulder knock and cramp in his right calf.
His presence was absolutely vital to Clare, as he set up a first half goal and scored two points to pull the Banner back from the brink, at seven points behind to run out dramatic 3-29 to 1-34 winners after extra-time.
“Tuesday evening, I thought I was 100 percent gone,” he said. “(I) went and got an MRI scan on Wednesday lunchtime and then found out an hour later it was a 1A tear.
“I had a 50 percent chance of playing, there or thereabouts, depending on how it healed.
“Then just, ah my god the emotion of thinking I was gone, to then having a chance and still not knowing, and waking up every morning.
“The emotion was just extraordinarily high during the week and then to get out there and just be able to experience that.”
O’Donnell, who paid tribute to Clare’s “unbelievable medical team,” said the injury was playing on his mind and it was never definite at any stage that he would play.
“If it wasn’t an All-Ireland final, there would have been no point,” he continued. “But I made the decision a few days ago, regardless - if I survived the warm-up then I would play.
“Even in the first five minutes I ended up in a situation chasing Shane Barrett and I couldn’t commit to the run because it (hamstring) could have went and it was too early in the game. I started calling over Adam (Hogan).
"It was maybe playing on my mind a small bit earlier in the game. It was there. There was no point where I was, ‘Yeah, I feel great.’ It was a terrible week. .
“It was constantly there. I wouldn't say it held me back at all, but it was in the back of my mind thinking, each time I sprint for a ball it could be my last, which I was happy to go with and see what happened. It's all good (now).”
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