Irish Olympic star cut honeymoon short for historic victory
"I got married the weekend before and I was meant to have the full week off," he explained. "But I was delighted to come back in."
Shane O'Donoghue cut short his honeymoon - such was his desire to be part of a possible back to back win for Ireland's hockey team against Belgium.
The sides meet at the historic Yves De Manoir stadium on Saturday morning (9.30am Irish time), with Ireland full of confidence after back to back victories in the Nations League over the reigning Olympic champions.
O'Donoghue in Majorca, relaxing with his wife after their wedding celebration, as he watched that first Nations League win. He just had to change their plans for the next game.
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"I originally wasn’t travelling out to Antwerp, I got married the weekend before and I was meant to have the full week off," he explained. "But I was delighted to come back in. I remember watching the first game in the middle of a restaurant in Majorca, absolutely jumping around the place with joy.
"In all my years, we’ve never beaten Belgium. They are one of the big powerhouses, they’ve won World Cups, Olympics, Europeans. And their league is very professional. And then getting the chance to play in the second game against them and to beat them 4-1 but to kind of beat them the way we did, and the fashion we did, we beat them off the pitch, there was no question about it.
"And I think that’s a testament to this group is when the belief is there, and we’re confident, we definitely can compete with the best in the world."
Nevertheless Ireland are in a very tough group with not just the Belgians but also Australia and India, as well as New Zealand and Argentina. But O'Donoghue loved the experience of the Rio Games and, after Ireland missed out on Tokyo in a play-off, he is determined that the side give a proper account of themselves, especially at the historic venue where Ireland first competed at the Games in 1924.
"It’s obviously very special," the 31-year-old. "I think this team has been on a bit of a roller coaster of a journey and then Covid in the middle of that definitely challenged our progression and development. I think qualifying for this Olympics is probably extra-special given its 100 years on as well.
"For a lot of the players, it’s their first time going to an Olympic Games and then you go to a stadium like that and it makes it extra special to really put your best foot forward and have no regrets leaving Paris.
"Definitely those Belgium results have given us a good bit of confidence. It probably has woken them up, a little bit as well. It’s a team, as I said, that’s won everything. So maybe there might be a bit of a challenge there around motivating themselves again. But definitely I think if both teams play well, we’ve a chance.
"And I think getting those two games has given us a good bit of confidence."
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