A year older, smarter and wiser

IT’S almost a year to the day since Tommy O’Donnell sat down in the University of Limerick Sports Club for his first chinwag with the Irish Examiner, but the fact that the 21-year-old finds himself here again 12 months later suggests he must be doing something right.

Nominated for the Munster Academy Player of the Year gong for the second year running, there are a couple of notable differences in the Cahir native’s demeanour and focus 12 months on.

Last time out, he spoke of the pride of seeing his Ireland U-20 shirt on display at his alma mater, Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, bandied about the term ‘universal backrow’ and the pleasure of the rare opportunities to train with the senior squad.