William O'Donoghue: 'It's like the players who are most successful get punished'

Limerick head out on their team holiday to the US and Dominican Republic on Friday, but O’Donoghue points out Shane O’Brien will miss out as Kilmallock face Ballygunner in a Munster semi-final on Sunday week.

William O'Donoghue of Limerick celebrates with the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

William O’Donoghue says the split season offers “very little reprieve” to inter-county players and in general punishes the most successful players.

The Limerick centre-back, this year’s Gaelic Writers’ Association Hurling Personality of the Year sponsored by Clayton Hotels, stresses John Kiely’s All-Ireland-winning set-up prioritise rest.

However, as Limerick head out on their team holiday to the US and Dominican Republic on Friday, O’Donoghue points out Shane O’Brien will miss out as Kilmallock face Ballygunner in a Munster semi-final on Sunday week.

“I think split season works in the sense it is better to just like, let's say when you are in with Limerick, to give 100% to that. But what I do think is the split season has also given the players very little reprieve. It's just, it is nonstop.

“The way the calendar falls and even the way like Shane O'Brien now can't go on the team holiday. Sometimes, it's like the players who are most successful get punished as the year goes on because they all run into one another and then suddenly it's like, right, it's November, December and you're back. You're potentially back in with your inter-county panel.

"So, while the split season is great and it does give you a bit more flexibility to concentrate on what you're doing. I just think the demands on the players, it's probably allowing for more demands on players, which ultimately is a bit of a struggle as well for players.” 

O’Donoghue speaks from experience having endured long seasons in 2022 and ’23 when he played into late November with Na Piarsaigh following Limerick’s All-Ireland winning seasons before turning into collective pre-season, which commences this year on November 20.

“Yeah, (there’s) absolutely no time at all. People say like, ‘will you enjoy your week off?’ and it's just accepted that if you play GAA and happen to be – it's obviously a good complaint - but it's the norm to get a week or two off a year.

“Now in fairness, we're very lucky in the Limerick set-up that they're very conscious if we need to be looked after. I guess I just mean on the whole, the schedule doesn't take into account and as per the schedule, you should just be rolling into one from the next.” 

William O'Donoghue of Na Piarsaigh signs autographs. Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile

Na Piarsaigh’s final defeat to Kilmallock last Sunday week means O’Donoghue, 32 next month, will be that bit fresher as much as the break was inadvertent.

“If you're lucky enough to get the county final, you know you might get x amount of weeks off, but straight away I guess as a player you probably do have one eye on when you're going back in and getting back into some bit of a routine and just building your body back up to being able to deal with what's going to be thrown at us when we do go back.” 

O’Donoghue, who earned his third All-Star last week, is bemused how the younger generation in the Limerick panel, fellow All-Stars Adam English (23), Aidan O’Connor (24) and Cathal O’Neill (24), have been perceived from the outside this past season.

“They've been incredible talents, and I think people are acting like it is only this year they've got good. Cathal, he was nominated for an All-Star in '24. He started a Munster final in '23, they've been incredible in within our group and training. So, we've been well aware of their exploits and how good they really are.

“This year, Cathal managed to stay injury-free, which had been an issue for him, and just managed to get into the form we knew he was capable of. And then you have the likes of Adam (English), Aidan, Shane O'Brien, and there's several more there in Colin Coughlan and once they were given a chance and got in, they were never going to let up.” 

From O’Donoghue, there is a hint that his club-mate Peter Casey should have won his second All-Star last Friday. 

“He's had some pretty good years, but I think this was probably his best year. I thought he was probably one of our most consistent players if you go through all the games, in Munster, in the All-Ireland.

“Like, the amount of scores he got in big games and that coupled with his kind of game intelligence and work-rate, he's a really important player for us. To see him get back to a place where he could have actually deliver his best performance, I think was the most pleasing aspect.” 

*The Gaelic Writers’ Association awards, sponsored by Clayton Hotels, recognise the extraordinary contribution of current players and managers and Will O'Donoghue is the 2026 GWA Hurling Personality of the Year. In a team of many leaders, William has developed into one of Limerick hurling's most important with his switch from midfield to centre-back in recent seasons pivotal to Limerick's return to dominance in 2026 with league, Munster and All-Ireland titles won in a clean sweep.