ROY O’DONOVAN accepts his time at Sunderland is over, and now the striker is out to make the most of his chance at Hartlepool United.

Out of contract in the summer and out of favour at the Stadium of Light, the Irishman has joined Pools on loan until the end of the season.

Tomorrow will see his third appearance for the club, against Southend, where he spent a month on loan earlier this season.

He made five appearances for the Shrimpers in October, scoring once before heading back to Wearside.

But with no prospect of forcing his way into Steve Bruce’s plans, O’Donovan accepts the need to move on.

“You just have to be a good professional about it and train hard and make sure that you’re ready and I hung on a bit long,’’ he admitted.

“I was hoping I could get a chance when injuries and suspensions came along and that has been the case at Sunderland where they have had a few.

“But I still didn’t get my chance and I said to myself it was time to go. I’ve got three months now until the end of the season and hopefully I can get back firing again and everything works out.

“There wasn’t really one point at Sunderland where I felt I had to leave, it’s just that I haven’t been playing.

“I’ve been training hard and keeping myself fit but you can only keep so fit without playing football matches.’’ Lively outings against Carlisle and Millwall indicated his ability, but O’Donovan admits he will only improve with more games.

“It’s (playing) a different kind of fitness,’’ he admitted.

“I know people say that, but 90 minutes playing against other professionals is a lot different to going to the gym and going on the treadmill for half an hour.

“I’ve been trying to keep myself right. I didn’t feel 100 per cent the other night but hopefully with three or four games I will be back to my best.

“Going back to that, there wasn’t any situation where I thought ‘that’s enough now’.

“It was over time not playing, week in, week out when there’s been injuries and haven’t got in.

“I just said to myself that I have to go and play football and this is ideal.

“I have to take it on the chin what happened at Sunderland.

I’m not going to moan or complain.

“I’m going to come here and be professional and show what I can do and hopefully affect things for Hartlepool.”