Limerick hurler William O’Donoghue pictured at Na Piarsaigh GAA Club to launch the Bord Gáis Energy Christmas Jumper campaign. Bord Gáis Energy will shortly be making 500 special county-themed Christmas jumpers available for sale – with all proceeds going to homeless charity Focus Ireland aiming to raise €20,000 to help fight homelessness in the run-up to Christmas.
By Cian O'Connell
In a year like no other, with such deep uncertainty, William O'Donoghue reflects on the sheer value and joy sport brings.
The versatile Na Piarsaigh clubman, though, is adamant about not over-emphasising the issue, merely accepting that this Championship carries relevance in a wider sense.
Sunday's eagerly anticipated All Ireland SHC semi-final between Galway and Limerick is peppered with sub plots.
O'Donoghue offers an interesting take response when asked whether sport and hurling can be appreciated more following four months of inactivity from March to July.
"I don't want to get overly vexed on the significance sport should play in anyone's life," O'Donoghue replies.
"It is a huge part, it shouldn't be the be all and end all. There is much more to sport.
"You should never get too high when you're successful or too low when you are down. What I think is the outlet it gives people, that is being recognised at the minute."
The fact that inter-county hurling and football has continued is acknowledged by O'Donoghue.
"As a player I understand how fortunate I am to be able to go training three times a week, while others don't have gyms or the ability to go to get in some physical exercise," O'Donoghue continues.
"Even from that point of view, a stimulus point of view, it is fantastic to be able to do this. Also to give back to people. I think what the general community are getting from the sport on TV.
"Look at last weekend with the football, people who never would have watched football, who mightn't even be interested in sport were probably sitting on the edge of their seat watching both football games.
"So during a time like this for people to be able to get something and some inspiration, joy, and entertainment out of sport, I think that is the real essence of sport.
William O'Donoghue has developed into a key performer for Limerick.
"That is what it offers to people, it is not what people get from playing it, but what others around you get from it. The pride and happiness others can take from it."
Around Caherdavin Na Piarsaigh's influence on the recent Limerick hurling story is significant.
That one of their own, Shane O'Neill, manages Galway supplies an extra layer of intrigue.
"Shane was the manager in 2014, he would have been my second senior manager with the club," O'Donoghue recalls.
"I was asked this question by other lads saying what influence had he on your career? Like any manager I had in Na Piarsaigh he had a big influence on my career.
"Whether it be Bernie Buckley, my underage coach, Paul Condon, Conor Shields, guys like that, and then Shane at senior level.
"All these guys contribute to you as an athlete, as a person, you are growing up trying to find yourself, trying to develop as a person, hurler, and athlete - everything.
"All of those coaches played a role in that. Shane was no different obviously."
Na Piarsaigh have enjoyed an unprecedented spell of sustained success in the Limerick, Munster, and All Ireland stage.
O'Neill, in the closing chapter of his playing career, helped them win a first county title.
"Shane was there in 2011, I was only 15 or 16," O'Donoghue comments.
"I don't think I ever togged with Shane, we just missed each other. Shane was an integral part of that team, he was obviously coming towards the end of his career, but still did fantastic things for our club in winning our first County Championship and our first Munster Club which was huge given we had been beaten in a County Final two years previous by a cricket score.
Limerick's William O'Donoghue is looking forward to Sunday's All Ireland SHC semi-final against Galway at Croke Park.
"So what those guys did for us growing up was fantastic to win that first County and Munster, to give us the belief that this was something we could be introduced to and potentially achieve too."
Ultimately O'Donoghue believes O'Neill's role with Galway will count for too much when referee James Owens throws the sliotar in at 4pm at Croke Park on Sunday.
"I honestly don't think the Shane O'Neill link has any significance," O'Donoghue remarks. "I know in the media, obviously, it's a story to spin and there's that element of it. But I couldn't tell you what other opposition managers are doing during a game.
"I don't think it has ever come into my head to be even realising that they exist. This Sunday will be no different. And plus, Shane's stats and analysis team will be the people analysing Limerick and giving feedback to the Galway players, not Shane going over to someone's ear saying, 'He likes to do this or he likes to do that.'
"That's hearsay and I know that certainly wouldn't be about anything that any Galway player would benefit from.
"I'm sure their set-up is professional enough that they have the entire Limerick team analysed in terms of our patterns of play."
Limerick's consistent level of performance during the 2020 Munster Championship is a source of encouragement.
"To date, we’re happy with the accolades we’ve won, to have beaten Clare to give us back to back leads and to win the Munster Championship," O'Donoghue states.
"That’s fantastic but there are certainly that we can improve on from the Clare game to the Tipp game to the Waterford game. There’s even stuff we can improve on from training Tuesday night.
"While it might look like we’re in a way better place, I think we just need to keep progressing, keep bettering ourselves every day we go out.
"Where that will take us come All-Ireland semi-final day, I’ve no idea, but that’s what we’re focused on."
Such steely determination has served O'Donoghue and Limerick well so far.
