With Clare starting a sixth successive year in Division Two, the goal remains the same, writes Ivan Smyth – a seat at the top table.

ONE word sums up the hopes of Clare football fans as Colm Collins’ side seek to test themselves against the very best teams in Ireland – promotion.

With Collins at the helm for a ninth season, Clare have continued to make strides and were a win away from making the giant leap to Division One last year before falling to a four point defeat to eventual All Ireland finalists Mayo.

Galway, Meath, Cork and Derry are considered the favourites for promotion before a ball has been kicked in anger. However, despite Collins claiming that Clare not being placed among the favourites for promotion is irrelevant to how he will prepare his side, there is a sense that Collins and his team would enjoy nothing more than to upset the odds.

“We completely ignore the outside noise. Every time we are written off but if you look at the last two years we were only a game away from promotion. We will concentrate on ourselves. There’s no easy games in Division Two so we have to be ready for every challenge. You want to test yourselves against the best teams but we know we are in an extremely competitive division.”

The Cratloe man, who confirmed Eoin Cleary will remain as captain for the year, is the longest serving manager with the same county. Collins spent the winter months deliberating if he would return for a ninth season in charge as he outlines how the players’ support was his first priority before making any decision.

“The first factor you look at is do the players want you? Then it’s do the county board want you back? If both say yes then you consult with your management team. It is very much a team because it’s a group of people coming together to help the players.

“If you lose a couple of key people then it can be harder to come back. The players and county board wanted us back and there was a real appetite from the players to be involved so I stayed on.”

Collins has consistently challenged the current structure of the intercounty season with his own side having played one Championship game in each of the last two years. Although this year’s Championship will not be run on a straight knockout basis, Collins believes the league is a fairer and better competition than the Championship.

“We enjoy the league. It’s a much fairer competition than the Championship. Now proper reform is needed in the Championship because it is antiquated. There is a reluctance to change and you can’t do anything meaningful when you have that.”

“The competitiveness of Division Two is something we enjoy and it’s better for teams than going in and playing the same teams in your province every year.”

Last weekend, GAA Central Council endorsed the ‘Green Proposal’ for reform of the All-Ireland senior football Championship.

Two alternatives were up for discussion, the ‘Red Proposal’ – a slightly revamped version of Proposal B which was shot down at Special Congress last October – and the ‘Green Proposal’.

The Green Proposal would create an All-Ireland round robin system. This Sam Maguire competition would be made up of eight provincial finalists and the top eight league teams that haven’t made provincial finals. The 16 counties would be split into four pools. 

If successful at Congress, the system will come into operation for the 2023 championship. However, Collins doesn’t believe this proposal goes far enough as he believes the provincial Championships should be removed.

“Both of them (green and red proposals) are pandering to the provincial councils. They hold far too much sway. They exert undue influence and are resistant to change.

“It is far from where I’d like to go. It’s just a pity because the football Championship is crying out for reform. We can’t generate that reform until we divorce from the provincial councils.”

Clare face a youthful Offaly at Cusack Park this Sunday as they seek to lay down an early marker for the year ahead. They will be keen to secure the two points on offer with four of their seven league games on the road. Collins refuses to look beyond this Offaly side who will be blooding players from their All Ireland U20 success last year.

“They are an exceptional side and will be extremely competitive. They have an All-Ireland U-20 in their locker so it will be a really tough game.

“They have some exceptional experienced players and some great young players coming through. There are no easy games in Division Two.”

“We take it game by game. We have traditionally been strong away. You always want to win in front of your own so we will be looking for a big performance this weekend to start off well.”