BRIAN Lohan has poured cold water on reports that Shane O’Donnell is back training with Clare.
Wednesday morning saw a report in the national media that O’Donnell had resumed non-contact training and could yet play for the Banner in the Munster championship.
However when approached by the Clare Champion later in the day Lohan said that in fact the 2024 hurler of the year has not returned to the panel.
Now aged 30, O’Donnell was in fantastic form throughout the 2024 campaign, which concluded with him winning his third consecutive All Star and the hurler of the year award.
In February it emerged that O’Donnell was out with a long-term shoulder injury, that had required an operation. “It’s very unfortunate for Shane himself and the team as well. We looked at every option with Shane but the medical advice was that surgery was 100 per cent necessary, so we wish him well and a full recovery,” said Lohan at the time.
Clare’s national league campaign concluded with a fifth defeat last Saturday night, while the Munster round-robin campaign will begin against Cork on April 20 in Ennis.
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked with a number of other publications in Limerick, Cork and Galway. His first book will be published in December 2024.