Shane O'Donnell may be enjoying a stellar start to the Munster SHC, but Clare fans should brace themselves for the possibility they won't see him again beyond this summer.
While the 29-year-old is currently at the peak of his powers, he is appreciating his hurling as he contemplates putting the game on hold to pursue his professional career abroad.
"I kind of mentioned last year that I am taking it a year at a time, and that’s definitely how I am thinking of it at the moment," O'Donnell told RTÉ Sport at a Darkness into Light media event on Thursday.
"I won’t rule out playing next year but I wouldn’t be absolutely certain I would either.
"I want to work abroad and move abroad, and take that opportunity while I still have it, and kind of strike while the iron is hot in some sense from my work perspective.
"It’s a challenging decision to make obviously and it’s not one that I would make lightly, but I am basically taking it one year at a time."
O’Donnell is no stranger to the USA, as he spent six months studying at Harvard University via a scholarship programme between 2018 and 2019. The uncertainty of his future with Clare is adding to his enjoyment of the hurling championship, as he savours every moment.
"Because it is coming towards the end of my career, whether that be this year or next year whenever it is, I find myself taking in the occasions a small bit more and kind of enjoying the end-to-end process of a championship day rather than (having) as much nerves," he said.
"And then you play the game and you really just reflect on it after.
"The first couple games this year have been enjoyable despite the result on the first day."
Arguably the hurler of the championship so far, despite only playing just two and a half competitive games in 2024, O’Donnell attributes his form to "mental freshness".
"I think personally it’s because I haven’t been hurling all year, which is why I am able to come in with just mental freshness. I can’t guarantee that my hurling will be there, in the same way that if I had been training since November, I can’t guarantee that the hurling will peak at the end of April or when I need it in the first round of championship.
"I can personally guarantee that I will have as much energy and that psychological edge if I work the way I have been doing it in the last couple of years - where I keep myself fit in the off season, but not necessarily have the sheer volume of trainings, and then come back in with the panel at the appropriate time."
O’Donnell advocated for a reduction in pre-season training and load management for senior players, even discussing it with fellow senior panel members and Clare management.
"I think there is something there that you really don’t get the best out of players bringing them back in November and having them have six months training under their belt before they come into championship.
"I think if you’re talking about peaking players there's better ways to do it, and it also depends on the seniority of the player. I would say that if I did this when I was 20 or 21 or 22, I don’t know if it would work as well. I think the volume of training I have under my belt from a hurling perspective does mean that I can take some time away from it and come back and be confident that the hurling will be there.
"I wouldn’t necessarily be as certain if this was 10 years ago that that would be the case. But it is something I definitely think we should explore and look into because the length of the season, conversely to how you would think about it, actually lends itself to worse performances."
The two-time All-Star was quick to hail Clare boss Brian Lohan and how he has has facilitated his approach in recent seasons. In 2021 O'Donnell suffered a season-ending concussion during a training session in June and missed the entirity of the 2022 Allianz Hurling League.
"I would thank Brian openly and have thanked him as well on how he has allowed me to flex maybe within what he wants and do what’s best for me. I would say it came about because of that concussion I had a number of years ago that extended the amount of time before I went back the next year.
"I really did push out that decision whether I was going to play again quite a long time and it was probably February before I decided, 'OK I am going to play this year' basically.
"Brian has been extremely mature and frankly brilliant about it, allowing me to make that decision for myself as to what gets myself in the best position for championship.
"I think that’s the kind of unwritten contract that’s there, as long as I am performing and doing what needs to be done for the team, I think he is willing to work with me there."
Known for his scoring prowess, the Éire Óg club man's role has evolved into a link player, and he is regarded as being the key to unlocking the Clare attack. His unselfish play was evident throughout the opening games of the Munster Championship, setting up a multitude of scores while grabbing 1-01 of his own last Sunday versus Cork.
GOAL CLARE!
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) April 21, 2024
David McInerney launches a long ball to the influential Shane O'Donnell, who feeds Aidan McCarthy and he blasts the ball to the roof of the net
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"It's been slightly different this year, I think our forward line is extremely competitive and getting into the team. I was delighted to just be put anywhere, but it is slightly different where I am, a little bit closer to the goal, probably something a little more similar to where I had been for the first few years of my career.
"I have enjoyed it, I think we have managed in the first couple of games to really open up some opportunities for the full forward line that we didn't necessarily do in other games or in years past. So when you’re in those situations and the forward line is starting to open up a small bit, and you are in full forward, there is no better position in reality".
O'Donnell also credits his Clare teammates Aidan McCarthy and Mark Rodgers who have been key to the Clare attack.
"They're always in the right place and I would say sometimes you just have to, or I would say all of the time you have to just give it to the person in the better position, and they conveniently put themselves in the better position all of the time," he added.
"They have been excellent to play with."
