He played senior hockey for the Hamilton 227th Battalion in 1916-17 before spending three years in the Canadian miltary in World War I. After returning from the military, Donnelly played one season (1919-20) for the Edmonton Eskimos in the Alberta Big Four League. He then joined his hometown senior Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for six years, winning the Allan Cup in 1924. He retired in 1937.