Career
O'Dowd made his League of Ireland debut for Shelbourne F.C. on the opening day of the 1990-91 League of Ireland season. He returned from Leeds and played with Kilkenny City, St. Patrick's Athletic, Derry City, Shamrock Rovers, Drogheda United and Malahide United before returning to the Reds. In the 2007 Season with Shelbourne, O'Dowd made 25 league appearances and delivered many impressive displays.
Despite impressing in his second spell at Tolka Park, O'Dowd was released by Shelbourne at the end of the 2007 season. O'Dowd made his Rovers debut keeping a clean sheet against his old club in September 1998. He signed for Drogheda in January 2004.