HE’LL BE BACK THE SHANE AS EVER

PODGE COLLINS expects Shane O’donnell to be fully back in harness with the Clare hurlers before the Munster championship gets underway.

Sharpshooter O’donnell is on a scholarship at Harvard that began in September last year and it was thought he would miss most of the 2019 season. But Collins reckons that won’t be the case and is confident O’donnell (left) will be fit to slot straight back into the Banner panel.

“I think he’ll be back in March or April,” said Collins.

“There’s a gym in the ground floor of the building beside him so there’s no fear, that man looks after himself very well, he’ll come back seamlessly I’d imagine. He will be fine.”

Collins himself is now feeling fine after it took a long time to recover from a cruciate ligament injury sustained three years ago.

He explained: “This year was definitely the first year where I felt fully right. It was probably a case of easing myself back into it as the year went on.

“I was chatting to Andy Moran and he said it took him three years to be back fully to his best. So it does take time.

“You can be back on the field in six or seven months no problem.

“I’ve seen lads doing it, Aron Shanagher did it this year with Clare, and he was perfect.

“But just to get up to the level of consistency that’s required it does take a few years.”