O’Dea making impressive strides with Munster
Munster winger Luke O'Dea has impressed any time he has got on the field with Munster
Colm Kinsella talks to Munster’s exciting young winger Luke O’Dea as he continues to make an impression
THREE appearances for Munster and two tries. It’s a strike rate to proud of.
But exciting young Munster winger Luke O’Dea is keeping his feet firmly on the ground. The 21-year-old, who has been making waves for Shannon in the AIL in recent seasons, got his big break with Munster in the RaboDirect PRO12 last November when scoring a try on his debut against Edinburgh at Thomond Park. Two more Munster caps have followed for Birmingham-born O’Dea and he celebrated his most recent outing in the red jersey with a try against Ulster.
O’Dea could hardly have envisaged such a meteoric rise when he turned out for Shannon’s U-12s some nine years ago.
“I was born in Birmingham. My dad went over to England to work and met my mother. We came back when the Celtic Tiger took off in Ireland,” O’Dea explained.
“We moved to Ennis. My dad’s family were there. I went to school in St Flannan’s. We played rugby there one year I was there. I played soccer and in St Flannan’s I played good bit of football, but didn’t play any hurling.
“My brother played rugby first and then my dad got me involved in it. I played with Shannon right through. I stuck at it and things took off from there.
“I was in the Sub-Academy for two years and then I got an Academy contract. I am in the second year of the Academy now and you just worked up through the ranks. I trained with the seniors once or twice and if you catch their eye, you keep on coming. It’s all about hard work.
“This is my first full season playing British and Irish Cup. I was very lucky to go from there to the senior side.
“It was a shock to get the call-up to the senior side. I had played a couple of decent games for the Munster ‘A’ side and I was doing well enough with Shannon. We had won our first three games in the AIL. I have taken it from game to the rest.
“The first thing that struck me in my first game for Munster was the noise of the crowd. It seems a lot noisier out on the pitch than it does when you are sitting in the stands.
“The roar of the crowd is something. Afterwards you just fell wrecked tired. You are really excited when you get the call to make your senior debut, but at the same time you are there to do a job.
“You have a lot of people behind you who want to get into the jersey as well, so you have to keep your mind on the game as well. Hopefully, I can get a few more games for Munster and keep on improving. I have lots to improve on.
“If I play with Shannon, I really want to win. I have played with them with 12. It is a stepping stone.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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