Shane O'Donnell: More players may skip the league

Hurler of the Year Shane O'Donnell says training almost all year round is simply a non-runner for him and believes it would suit more players to sit out the Allianz Hurling League.

The All-Ireland champions get their league campaign up and running against Kilkenny on 26 January, but the decorated forward will not be part of manager Brian Lohan’s early season plans.

The past two season the Éire Óg Ennis forward has sat out the league – last year he marked his return in the final defeat to Kilkenny – and has reaped the benefits, with back-to-back All-Stars to go with this year’s top individual award.

The 30-year-old initially sought to the time off due to a concussion issue that threatened to end his hurling career. The freshness had a hugely positive impact and combined with his work – O’Donnell is in a tech role involved in building software – he insists there is no way he could return to the all-year-round hurling demands.

Sitting out the competition could become more attractive he says to the more experienced players who have the hurling in the bank.

"I’ve recommended it to a load of people," he told RTÉ Sport’s Marty Morrissey when discussing his decision to delay his inter-county return. "I feel like it is something that will become more common.

"For me the season is too long. It would be too long for me to start hurling in December and play and train all the ways through to July at inter-county level and then continue with the club.

"Physically my body would not survive that, I know that now. Also from a work perspective, it’s not compatible.

"It came about because of the concussion – I ended up having a long off-season the year after and I felt like I got the best out of my body in a long time – and I had the conversation