When Clare’s attack fires, O'Donnell is at the heart of it

Eight observations from the hurling championship.

Shane O'Donnell of Clare after the Munster SHC victory over Cork. Picture: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

The split season is not perfect. It was never going to be a panacea for all the association’s ills. It shouldn’t be used as a scapegoat either.

On Sunday, RTÉ’s pre-match buildup to Galway vs Kilkenny included a prolonged segment on the ‘condensed calendar’. The bulk of the criticism focused on certain games being fixed for the same time and being difficult to watch. “I do think we are doing long-term damage to the association the way the season is being set up at the moment,” declared Dónal Óg Cusack.