'One in a million' man O'Donnell to return in time for championship kick-off... again 

O’Donnell, for the second successive season and the third in five years, did not feature in Clare’s Division 1 campaign but is in line to start against Tipperary on Sunday.

COMEBACK TRAIL: Shane O'Donnell of Clare is tackled by Declan Hannon and Sean Finn of Limerick. Pic: John Sheridan/Sportsfile

Name a hurler outside Kilkenny to have won an All-Star without playing a league game. Whether he likes it or not, Shane O’Donnell is going to be a table quiz answer if he isn’t one already.

Galway’s Daithí Burke joins him in the select few, having not played in the 2015 nor ‘20 competitions because of his Corofin exploits. The reincarnation of Brian Corcoran in ‘04 or Anthony Nash in ‘12 might come to mind but they saw league minutes for Cork towards the end of those years’ leagues.