{{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Short description|Donegal Gaelic footballer (born 1997)}} {{Infobox Gaelic games player | name = Ethan O'Donnell | image = | alt = | caption = | <!-- Personal information --> | irish = | sport = Gaelic football | clposition = | icposition = Half-back/Half-forward | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|1|1|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Ferry|url=https://donegalnews.com/2021/08/county-players-return-makes-big-difference-doherty/|title=County players return makes a 'big difference'|work=[[Donegal News]]|date=12 August 2021|page=66|quote=[Conor Doherty] is now 24, and with a birthday on New Year's Day, he jokes that he held on for a bit longer to get an extra year at minor level. Interestingly, he is just two hours older than Naomh Conaill's Ethan O'Donnell. The pair know each other well, and there are no secrets between the two teams at this stage.}} Further details in the print edition.</ref><ref name=dn_27012022/> | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | feet = | inches = | nickname = | occupation = | <!-- Club(s) --> | code = Football | clyears = 201?– | clubs = [[Naomh Conaill CLCG|Naomh Conaill]] | clapps(points) = | <!-- Club titles --> | county = Donegal | clcounty = 6 | province = | clprovince = | clallireland = | <!-- Colleges(s) --> | colyears = | colleges = | colapps(points) = | <!-- College titles --> | fitz = | sig = | <!-- Inter-county(ies) --> | icyears = 2017– | counties = [[Donegal county football team|Donegal]] | icapps(points) = | <!-- Inter-county titles --> | icprovince = | icconnacht = | iculster = | icleinster = | icmunster = | icallireland = | nfl = | nhl = | allstars = | <!-- Last updated --> | clupdate = | icupdate = }} '''Ethan O'Donnell''' (born 1 January 1997) is an Irish [[Gaelic football]]er who plays for [[Naomh Conaill CLCG|Naomh Conaill]] and the [[Donegal county football team|Donegal county team]].
He played for his county at minor, under-21 and senior level.<ref name=dn_12082021/> He can play at half-back or half-forward.<ref name=dn_27012022/>
O'Donnell scored the winning point for Donegal against [[Dublin county football team|Dublin]] in the [[2014 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship]] semi-final.<ref>{{cite news|first=Niall|last=Kelly|url=https://www.the42.ie/dublin-donegal-minor-live-updates-1647102-Aug2014/|title=As it happened: Dublin v Donegal, All-Ireland MFC semi-final|publisher=[[TheJournal.ie#The42.ie|The42.ie]]|date=31 August 2014|access-date=31 August 2014|quote=2:45PM · 31 AUG 14 · Donegal 1–12 Dublin 1–11: 58 mins — A free breaks to Donegal sub Ethan O'Donnell and he blasts it over the bar. Donegal lead — can Dublin find the equaliser?}}</ref> Aged 17 and a year younger than many of his teammates, he was used as an impact substitute during that campaign before starting the final against [[Kerry county football team|Kerry]].<ref name=dn_27012022>{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Ferry|url=https://donegalnews.com/2022/01/odonnell-finding-his-feet-with-donegal/|title=O'Donnell finding his feet with Donegal|work=[[Donegal News]]|date=27 January 2022|page=66|quote=…who turned 25 on New Year's Day. 'This is my third year under Declan now and I had a year under Rory as well'… O'Donnell has played in each of Donegal's four games so far this year, but only started one, against Antrim. However, he came off the bench and made a telling difference against Monaghan in the McKenna Cup final last week… O'Donnell can play in the half-back line or half-forward line and he is viewed as one of the 'transition' players who now have vital roles in the team.}} Further details in the print edition.</ref>
O'Donnell scored a goal in the 2017 [[Ulster Under-21 Football Championship]] final victory over [[Derry county football team|Derry]], helping Donegal get its first under-21 title since 2010.<ref>{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://www.donegaldaily.com/2017/04/11/listen-a-proud-night-as-eoghan-ban-follows-in-fathers-footsteps/|title=Listen: A proud night as Eoghan Ban follows in father's footsteps|date=11 April 2017|access-date=11 April 2017}}</ref>
O'Donnell was involved with the county senior panel in the [[2017 Donegal county football team season|2017]] and [[2020 Donegal county football team season|2020 season]]s but did not play much in either season.<ref name=dn_12082021/> He made a substitute appearance for Donegal against [[Kerry county football team|Kerry]] in the opening round of the [[2017 National Football League (Ireland)|2017 National Football League]]<ref>{{cite news|first=Alan|last=Foley|url=https://www.the42.ie/kerry-donegal-division-1-3224023-Feb2017/|title=Geaney at the double as Kerry achieve first opening round league win under Fitzmaurice|publisher=[[TheJournal.ie#The42.ie|The42.ie]]|date=5 February 2017|access-date=5 February 2017}}</ref> as well as in the last round of the delayed [[2020 National Football League (Ireland)|2020 National Football League]], against the same opposition.<ref>{{cite news|first=Seán|last=McGoldrick|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/league-title-for-kerry-but-no-fanfare-as-keane-turns-towards-munster-showdown-with-cork-39666723.html|title=League title for Kerry but no fanfare as Keane turns towards Munster showdown with Cork|newspaper=[[Irish Independent]]|date=26 October 2020|access-date=26 October 2020}}</ref>
The [[2021 Donegal county football team season|2021 season]] marked O'Donnell's breakthrough for his county team.<ref name=dn_12082021>{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Ferry|url=https://donegalnews.com/2021/08/ethan-eager-to-play-final/|title=Ethan eager to play final|work=[[Donegal News]]|date=12 August 2021|page=67|quote=O'Donnell has two county senior medals to his name already and the versatile player would like to add another to his collection. His team have already earned some silverware this year after winning their seven league games, but the Dr Maguire Cup is the one they want… O'Donnell heads into the county final after a breakthrough season with the Donegal seniors. He was involved with the Donegal panel in 2017 and 2020, but found his game time limited. However, he came on in the first league match against Tyrone this year, and ended up featuring in five of the seven games that the county side played… 'Peadar Mogan got injured before the Dublin match and I got my wee break then'... O'Donnell started against Dublin in the league semi-final, and he was thrown in from the off against Derry in the Ulster quarter-final… Between senior, under-21 and minor county football, he has played with many of the Kilcar side and seen[sic] them up at close quarters…|access-date=1 June 2022|archive-date=8 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808164552/https://donegalnews.com/2021/08/ethan-eager-to-play-final/|url-status=dead}} Further details in the print edition.</ref> He made a substitute appearance against [[Tyrone county football team|Tyrone]] in the opening game of the [[2021 National Football League (Ireland)|2021 National Football League]].<ref name=dn_12082021/> He also appeared in four of the six other games Donegal played (in a shortened season due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]).<ref name=dn_12082021/> Then an injury to [[Peadar Mogan]] gave him the opportunity to play against Dublin in the National Football League semi-final.<ref name=dn_12082021/> O'Donnell also started the [[2021 Ulster Senior Football Championship]] quarter-final against Derry.<ref name=dn_12082021/>
O'Donnell did not participate in Donegal's [[2023 Donegal county football team season|2023 season]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Ryan|last=Ferry|title=Team of the [Donegal Senior Football] Championship|work=[[Donegal News]]|date=26 October 2023|page=68|quote=7. Ethan O'Donnell (Naomh Conaill) O'Donnell wasn't involved with Donegal in 2023…}}</ref>
O'Donnell put in a man-of-the-match performance in the final of the [[2023 Donegal Senior Football Championship]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/gaelic-games/67187395|title=Naomh Conaill outclass Gaoth Dobhair 1–16 to 1–8 in Donegal Football Final|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|date=22 October 2023|access-date=22 October 2023|quote=Man of the match O'Donnell's brilliant run set up McGuinness' 46th-minute goal…}}</ref>
After this, O'Donnell based himself in [[Perth]] in [[Western Australia]]. He flew home especially to play in the [[2024 Donegal Senior Football Championship|2024 Donegal SFC]], but his club lost the final.<ref>{{cite news|first=Matthew|last=Wilson|url=https://www.gaeliclife.com/counties/donegal/donegal-county-football/odonnell-ecstatic-after-successful-trip-home-from-oz/|title=O’Donnell ecstatic after successful trip home from Oz|work=[[Gaelic Life]]|date=17 October 2025|access-date=17 October 2025|quote=The Naomh Conaill midfielder is located in Perth in Australia but flew home to take to the field for Martin Regan's side for the championship. After a disappointing trip home 12 months ago, O'Donnell is delighted that this trip across the world was worthwhile, helping his club to land their eighth senior crown on Sunday.}}</ref> He flew back from Perth again to play for his club in the [[2025 Donegal Senior Football Championship|2025 Donegal SFC]], when his club won the final, with O'Donnell playing the entirety of that game.<ref>{{cite news|first=Daire|last=Bonner|url=https://www.donegallive.ie/news/gaa-lgfa/1883735/ethan-o-donnell-s-return-a-massive-lift-for-naomh-conaill-finnbarr-roarty.html|title=Ethan O'Donnell's return a 'massive lift' for Naomh Conaill – Finnbarr Roarty|publisher=[[Donegal Live]]|date=1 September 2025|access-date=1 September 2025}}</ref><ref name=rte_2025_donegal_championship>{{cite news|first=Peter|last=Campbell|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2025/1012/1538131-naomh-conaill-comeback-sees-them-take-donegal-crown/|title=Naomh Conaill come from seven down to take Donegal crown|publisher=[[RTÉ Sport]]|date=12 October 2025|access-date=12 October 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Naomh Conaill CLCG squad}} {{Navboxes |title=Naomh Conaill panels |bg=white |fg=blue |bordercolor=blue |list1= {{Donegal Senior Football Champions 2015}} {{Donegal Senior Football Champions 2019}} {{Donegal Senior Football Champions 2020}} {{Donegal Senior Football Champions 2022}} {{Donegal Senior Football Champions 2023}} }} {{Donegal Minor Football Team 2014}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:ODonnell, Ethan}} [[Category:1997 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Donegal inter-county Gaelic footballers]] [[Category:Gaelic football backs]] [[Category:Gaelic football forwards]] [[Category:Irish expatriates in Australia]] [[Category:Naomh Conaill Gaelic footballers]]