O’Donnell, who worked under the pair as a minor in 2011 and during the All- Ireland U21 winning campaigns in 2013 and 2014, stressed the importance of the continuity Moloney and O’Connor bring to the set-up. From the 19 players who saw game-time during July’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Galway at Thurles, 10 have experience of serving under the joint-managers.
“There is nothing more you can ask for than two good coaches and the two of them work brilliantly together. Anytime we have been with them, they have been as professional as you could ask. They’re as good as you can get really,” said O’Donnell.
“They are meticulous in everything they do. No stone is left unturned and everything that can be analysed is analysed. They are incredible when it comes to detail.”
He added: “The fact a lot of us have already played under them makes everyone more comfortable. It also means you can get down to work straight away instead of having an introductory period at the start where you get to know the management and see what they are like.”
Does the 22-year old reckon the joint-managers will break from their predecessor’s short-passing game which involved the deployment of a sweeper in front of the full-back line?
“Senior is a different kettle of fish to U21 so I have no idea what style of play they’ll bring. Different games require different tactics. That’s their job and not mine. We’ll do what they tell us to do.”
The Bannermen are paired with Limerick in next summer’s Munster SHC semi-final, and O’Donnell says they’ll be keen to rectify their poor provincial record of recent years - Clare haven’t won a game in Munster since the 2-20 to 1-15 win over Waterford in 2013.
“Limerick are a really tough team and anytime we have played them in the last three years, they’ve been close and brilliant games. We’re expecting nothing different next year.”
O’Donnell was also keen to pay tribute to the departed Davy Fitzgerald, the man who handed him his second championship start on the evening of the replayed All-Ireland final in 2013.
“Every time he put me on the pitch after that, he was putting his trust in me. I’ll always remember that and always respect everything he did for me on a personal level, outside of the incredible heights he brought us to.
“I was a major fan and sorry to see him go.”