Injury rules Shane O’Donnell out of Clare league campaign

Shane O’Donnell is expected to be out of action for a month after sustaining a foot injury. It is believed he picked up the setback in last Sunday’s Division 1B win over Limerick in Ennis.

Clare’s 2013 All-Ireland final replay hero, who has captained the team in co-skippers’ Cian Dillon and Tony Kelly’s absences this spring, won’t be available for tomorrow week’s Division 1 quarter-final against Tipperary and is unlikely to play any further part in the league should the Division 1B victors progress in Cusack Park.

O’Donnell’s absence, coupled with David McInerney's back injury this past week, would bring to seven the number of players sidelined from the team that started against Cork in last year’s All-Ireland qualifier defeat — Jack Browne (leg), Shane Golden (back), Kelly (ankle), Seadna Morey (hips), and Colin Ryan (honeymoon) being the other five.

Cruciate victim and 2013 All-Ireland captain Pat Donnellan was a sub that day, while Podge Collins is also out of commission in eight days as he will be lining out with the footballers in their Division 3 clash in Kildare.

Kelly recently returned to running and could be training by the end of April. Domhnall O’Donovan retired from inter-county hurling last month.

Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald didn’t mention O’Donnell following last Sunday’s game but intimated he was not happy with a few incidents. “Maybe I could pick examples of other stuff I wouldn’t have been happy with. There might’ve been another sending off or two. There’s no point.”

In January, Fitzgerald claimed O’Donnell was subjected to rough treatment in games.

“To me, he finds it very tough to get frees. I think it’s something that seriously has to be looked at because that’s what happens every time he gets the ball. He’s just getting absolutely killed.”