His career included stints with club sides Mayfield and Sarsfields, while he was also an All-Ireland Championship winner with the Cork senior hurling team in 1966.
O'Donoghue began hurling as a pupil at Mayfield National School before later lining out with Sullivan's Quay CBS in a number of underage and juvenile competitions.
After having no involvement with Cork at any grade after his sole year as a minor, O'Donoghue was drafted onto the senior team during the 1964 Oireachtas Cup.
O'Donoghue was later included on Cork's panel for the 1964-65 National League before making his Munster Championship debut on 4 July 1965 in a 2-06 apiece draw with Waterford.
O'Donoghue's arrival on the team was seen as solving Cork's problem position of full-back and he was described as being the best occupant of the number three jersey since John Lyons.
O'Donoghue made his second appearance in an All-Ireland final on 7 September 1969, however, he ended the game on the losing side after the 2-15 to 2-09 defeat by Kilkenny.
O'Donoghue was again called up for selection with the Munster team in 1969 and ended the campaign with a second successive Railway Cup medal after a 3-13 to 4-04 replay defeat of Connacht.