Cratloe’s dual star Podge Collins has ruled out played both codes at inter-county level in 2017.
Collins, who was the only senior inter-county dual star this year, has arrived at the decision as he feels the dual role is no longer sustainable. Crucially, though, he didn’t revel which code he will play.
Speaking on Clare FM he said, “I suppose this year, just the way the fixtures fell with both teams getting to the quarterfinals… big games were on the same weekend. Playing two games in a weekend it’s unfair, I suppose, on myself and both teams so, unfortunately, I don’t think that’s sustainable so next year I’ll just be playing the one.”
Collins won national league medals in both codes this year. He was a member of Davy Fitzgerald’s senior squad that won the Division 1 national hurling league title for the first time in nearly 40 years, defeating Waterford in a replay, while he was also on the football team, managed by his father Colm, which won the Division 3 league title beating Kildare in the final in Croke Park.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.