Bon voyage to Shannon's Dave O'Donovan

A TEN year senior rugby career that yielded 130 All Ireland league appearances, four All Ireland League medals, five Munster senior cup medals and an All Ireland Cup medal. How many club rugby players can come within a sniff of such accolades. Not too many is the answer.

Well that's the experience, that Shannon will sorely miss as they bid a bon voyage to a player that has been a mainstay in their senior squad for over ten years. Like the countless thousands of other young Irish people David O'Donovan will this week pack his bags and head to Australia for a new chapter in his life.

The news of his departure was well flagged within the Shannon camp, but it's a departure that will leave a huge void in our squad, as we look to consolidate our top flight status.

Few players have shown as much dedication and commitment to Shannon's cause as Dunny has, since his arrival to the club straight from St Munchin's College in 1998.

His progress to the senior side came the circuitous route of U/20's, 3rds and 2nds, but once he broke into the senior squad in 2002 he has been an ever present and vital member.

I suppose his main position would be considered as a full back , but he is equally adept on either wing, but in fairness , he has played in every position in the backline at one stage or another. For quite a few of our AIL games he lined out on the starting XV, but was our sub scrum half at the same time. Let's be honest , it wasn't his natural position, but he never let us down when called upon to fill in.

He marked his starting debut in the AIL on a frosty January day in Thomond Park in 2003 with two tries in our 55 something rout of UCD, and played a further 8 times that year. Remarkably in the subsequent 6 seasons, he either started, or came on in, every one of our AIL games, which is an achievement in itself.

But it's medals that count in this game, and Dunny certainly has enough to make one of those Pandora bracelet thingies look like a kid's sweetie bracelet.

Apart from winning four AIL medals, David's final appearances have produced some memorable moments, like the 2005 final when an tv camera tried to halt his progress with a sneaky belt that left him with crutches. Indeed, I remember being one of the stretcher bearers that brought him under the stand for treatment, and in trying to negotiate the tricky steps in the old stadium, we nearly tipped him off his perch. He recovered though, and made it out just in time to join the podium celebrations.

Or what about the time he won the 2009 league for us; not necessarily single-handedly, but it was his try that clinched the title for us on a day the title was decided on the first try rule.

Dunny has been part of so many great memories for our club both on and off the field and he will be sorely missed (not the moaning though).

Rugby player, fashion icon, mediocre card player and terrible singer, all fair and reasonable when describing Dunny, but possibly the best compliment we could give him on the eve of his departure is that he gave his heart and soul to Shannon and for that we should all be grateful .

Best of Luck Dave, you'll be missed.