The life of Conor Donohoe: Hurling as a carpenter, development squad pathway, belief in Dublin

The Dubs take on Cork in Thurles on Saturday.

Fri, 21 Jun, 2024 - 07:06

Maurice Brosnan

The old order restored. In the Leinster final, Kilkenny administered the sort of merciless beating that defined an empire. Dublin and Conor Donohoe had to endure it.

“Kilkenny were coming for a performance over the last couple of weeks and they got it,” said Donohoe of that 16-point beating.

“It was unfortunate we were on the end of it. The first 14 minutes were tough, but we will get a reaction from the lads.

“Getting to the Leinster final, no one would have expected it. Everyone was saying Galway, Kilkenny and Wexford would be the three out of Leinster. That wasn't the case. We believed that we were good enough to do that and that is what got us there. Ultimately disappointing but we still have a strong belief in the group and it is a young squad.”

Dublin had started to build over recent seasons. That blow in Croke Park can fuel part of their development if deployed correctly. At 25, it is still a new experience for Donohoe and several of his team-mates.

The Erins Isle club man didn’t represent his county underage. He found his way into the senior side in 2022, debuting against Laois. Before that, he had been part of a development squad under Shane O’Brien. He was 22 when he first joined that panel.

“As soon as I got asked I said yes. There was no harm in going out to see what it was like. It is funny, that year four off the development squad played for the seniors that year. There are still lads, myself and Darragh Power, coming through that. It was worthwhile.” He had to change his game and his life. Donohoe’s positioning at centre-back allowed Eoghan O’Donnell to drop to full back and Conor Burke to play in midfield. That spine was their strength on the way to a Leinster final.

Donohoe changed his life too. He was a carpenter by trade. That took its toll. This season, he took a teaching position in Beneavin De La Salle College. It was a choice driven by hurling.

“Teaching woodwork and construction this year,” he explained. “It was tough on the tools. Last year I was fully on the tools. It was tough to stay fresh. Getting up at half six on a Monday morning was tough.

“It is physical. There are not many lads doing it. There are no other trade lads on the team. It was tough but I took a break this year, went teaching to get the focus on recovery and getting the body right during the week.

“It was a personal decision driven by hurling. Noel (Larkin) is a chippy himself and has lads working for him. We had that conversation, but it was a personal decision.”

Despite the Kilkenny result, this Dublin team have conviction they are on the right road. The chance to show that is on Saturday against Cork. That is one of the many elements Micheál Donoghue has infused in the group.

“He has a track record of winning. He is getting us to believe in ourselves is ultimately the biggest thing. We believed we could get to a Leinster final and we believed we could win it as well. That is probably the biggest thing. We are starting to believe in ourselves. Not that previous teams haven't.

“Dublin teams have but this group is a relatively new group as well. Similar to what the lads were saying about the bond, we are starting to get that now. You can see it. The Band of Brothers, that is what it is starting to turn into.”