Shane O’Donnell: 'My hand was just completely red. It was blood everywhere'

The 30-year-old logged his 54-championship appearance in that semi-final. This Sunday he will surpass Lohan’s championship total and take to the biggest stage once more.

Shane O'Donnell of Clare celebrates after the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Kilkenny and Clare at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

What exactly happened at half-time? Shane O’Donnell hasn’t a clue. Midway through the semi-final, the Banner were in a state of distress. He was elsewhere, in a world of pain.

Kilkenny were five up and cruising. In Croke Park, Clare looked lost. A rousing comeback ultimately saw Brian Lohan’s side reel them in and secure an All-Ireland final spot. Later Lohan would admit he could have made any number of changes but elected to trust in frank dressing room talk and the leaders on the field.

While the manager spoke to the team, O’Donnell was scrambling. He went to catch the sliotar midway through the half and failed to protect his hand. The ball and an opponent’s hurley pinched his finger and burst it. He thinks now it got through to the artery.

“It is funny. Everyone was talking about, Brian must have said something great at half-time, I don’t think I heard anything Brian said with three medics around my finger trying to stop the blood coming out.

“I was going to go (back) out anyway. Even, I played the last ten minutes of the first half with blood freely coming out and I could still play. So, I was always going to go back out. But I would have preferred if I could have had a bit more control of it.” 

Rewind to the 23rd minute. O’Donnell ran off to get treatment on his finger. While he was off and the blood sub was just coming in, Eoin Murphy went short with a puckout. A free defender carried out to the 45m line and launched. Eoin Cody won it and volleyed a spectacular goal. Margins.

Most of that half-time remedy did the trick. O’Donnell clipped a crucial point and was fouled for several frees. Clare dug deep. His finger was the only thing to never recover.

“I went out and the first ball was a puck out. I caught it and my hand was just completely red. It was just blood everywhere.

“There’s not much you can do at the same time. 15 or 20 minutes into the second half, I ended up going for a throw ball with Cian Kenny. He said to Liam Gordon, the ref, ‘he has to go off.’ “And Gordon was like, ‘he can’t do anything about it. It keeps bleeding.’ And I was like, ‘That’s pretty accurate.’ There was nothing I could do, basically.” 

It is over a decade since the young sensation burst onto the scene in that famous 2013 final. Much has changed since, including his role. O’Donnell is not the leading scorer, but he is the lynchpin that makes their attack tick. In the 2024 championship, he has scored 2-11 and assisted 2-27, including being fouled for converted frees.

“It is very different. I’ve said it a couple of times to be honest. There is very little that is the same to 11 years ago. For myself, it’s so different in terms of how I prepare and how I think about these games.

“Even the position I was in, I didn’t think I was starting that game. So, the preparation and build-up was completely different. There isn’t really that much inspiration I can draw from it.

“The only thing that is similar is the opposition and the size of the occasion. It never stops being something you’d be so delighted to win.”

Earlier this year, O’Donnell admitted this could be his final campaign for Clare. It wasn’t that he wanted to retire. The former Harvard scholar explained that it might make sense to move abroad for work.

Another Celtic Cross would make for a sweet story, but now O’Donnell clarifies he doesn’t intend on it being the final chapter either.

“It would certainly be a nice way to… I won’t say bookend, because I don’t plan on retiring this year.

“But it would be a nice way to stagger. Winning one at the start of your career and then one towards the end.” 

The 30-year-old logged his 54-championship appearance in that semi-final. That night he went out with his partner to celebrate her birthday. They watched Cork and Limerick’s enthralling clash together the next day.

This Sunday he will surpass Lohan’s championship total and take to the biggest stage once more.

“I did not realise that. I feel proud of what we’ve done as a panel. I feel proud that I’ve been able to play for that number of years. I feel proud about so many things about hurling. I felt proud watching Cork play Limerick that weekend.

“It is just great to play this fantastic game and to be able to see it shown in front of everyone as such a brilliant match and occasion.”