Shane O'Donnell: 'If I survived the warm-up then I would play'

For the first 48 hours after suffering the injury which jeopardised the final involvement of hurling’s form player, O’Donnell did nothing.

HAMSTRING INJURY: When Shane O’Donnell felt his hamstring tear at training last Tuesday, he immediately ruled himself out of the decider. Picture: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

A “terrible week”. An emotional rollercoaster. Waking up every morning and your first thought is whether you are going to play any part in hurling’s biggest day. And the same thought continuing to corrode your thought process hitting the pillow that night.

When Shane O’Donnell felt his hamstring tear at training last Tuesday, he immediately ruled himself out of the decider. And even when a MRI the following day showed a “mild, 1A” tear, he still put his chances of making 3.30pm Sunday at only 50%.