'The club game should never be underestimated' says Doon senior hurling captain Darragh O'Donovan

DOON senior hurling captain Darragh O'Donovan said it is important for himself and his inter-county teammates to set the standard for the next generation of young hurlers coming through at the East Limerick club.O'Donovan, Barry Murphy, Adam English and Eddie Stokes were all part of the Limerick senior hurling squad this year.

“You're seen as maybe an inter-county elite player at that level, you need to be coming and giving it your all every night. I'd be very disappointed of myself or if any of the other lads weren't giving their all to it because that wouldn't be good for the next generation of players coming through,” Darragh O'Donovan said.

“We've lot young players in the club, it's important that we come to training every night and we set the standards. It's not about telling them how to do it, it's about showing them and then you'll see by them, that they'll follow suit then.”

The Doon midfielder has admitted that the last two seasons with Limerick have been unsuccessful.

“It's great to come back from an inter-county campaign where it was unsuccessful and go into a group where lads are full of enthusiasm. The last two years have been unsuccessful and you just have to park that when you come back.”

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O'Donovan feels there is something very special and unique about the club game.

“Training is brilliant, we've some great characters in the group a lot of the younger lads that are the life of training every night. The likes of Kevin Maher, Gareth Thomas and Chris Thomas, they immerse themselves amongst everything. They're the centre of all the craic and the enjoyment.

“It is a club and they're the lads that you grew up around or you have seen growing up, the club game should never be underestimated. I've my own brother playing on the team, some of my best friends are on the team. I can't wait every night to be going down training, it gives you great energy,” said the Doon captain.

The 2023 All-Star believes his side will need to produce a a big performance against Na Piarsaigh in Sunday's county final.

“This is going to be a mammoth task for us and we have recognised that early in the week this week. Na Piarsaigh have been unbelievable through the club campaign this year, they're really a team at their peak and at their prime.

“First day out against us, they were down a good few bodies coming off the back of a club wedding and we were very fortunate that evening to get a draw and since then they have really kicked on.

“We know that, we will need to bring more than we have every brought to get a performance to put ourselves in a position to be successful in this game. We're under no illusions of the level of player that they have, the experience that they have and they have such strength and depth.

“We are going to need a huge performance, 60-65 minutes in this game to be in with any chance. We're aware of that and we need to knuckle down and get ourselves psychologically and mentally ready for it,” added the Oola native.

The county final is a big occasion but Darragh O'Donovan feels it is important for Doon to treat this weekend's final like any other game. Sunday will see Doon contest back-to-back senior hurling finals for the first time in their club's history.

“It's just like any other game really, that's the way we would treat it. Learning from the past I don't think we should get carried away with the fact that it is a final. There's no point of getting emotionally attached to these kind of things, at the end of the day it's just hurling. Life will move on after it, there's far worst things going on in the world than worrying and putting pressure on ourselves over a game.”

The 2024 county final winning captain doesn't feel much has changed under manager Derek McGrath in year two.

“I don't think he has changed anything in his ways, he is still the same Derek McGrath that I met the first day we ever met. And the same fella I would have seen for years on the sideline with Waterford, a man that carries himself with great humility and just a real genuine and down to earth guy.

“He is here for all the right reasons and unfortunately you don't always get that in the GAA and in hurling circles, no matter what happens with this group everyone will appreciate the time we've had with Derek. We have taken him in as one of our own."