He provided an assist for Macauley Bonne in the Youth Alliance Cup Final held against Bradford City at Valley Parade on 29 April 2014 in a 4–2 win for Colchester.

[7] A ruptured achilles tendon injury which ruled Tosin Olufemi out for the entire 2014–15 season meant that O'Donoghue would be back-up only to Ben Gordon at left-back.

[8] Following further injuries to Magnus Okuonghae and Frankie Kent, O'Donoghue was named in the starting line-up for Colchester's League One match with Barnsley on 14 November 2014.

[9] He then set his sights on keeping his place in the team,[10] but found himself pushed out of the starting eleven by Queens Park Rangers loanee Cole Kpekawa.

[13] After a season of recovery from knee surgery during 2015–16, O'Donoghue impressed enough in the development squad to earn himself a new contract, and signed a one-year extension in May 2016.