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Tag Archives: Colm Collins

Collins focused on breakthrough from tight division

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 …

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Clear road ahead for Clare footballers as Rebels loom

Eoin Cleary tells Ivan Smyth Clare are keen to kick on in 2022, beginning with the McGrath Cup LAST year, Eoin Cleary became the first man from St Joseph’s Miltown to be shortlisted for an All Star as he followed in the footsteps of Gary Brennan and Jamie Malone who received nominations in 2016 and 2019 respectively. The 27-year-old is quick to spread the praise for his performances after a 2021 campaign in which he scored 0-35 across Clare’s five games last year. A memorable point from a sideline ball which he shot in to the town goal in Cusack Park against Laois highlighted Cleary’s form. Before Brennan in 2016, Clare had last received nominations in 1997 when Frankie Griffin and Martin Daly were nominated. Cleary believes the recent All-Star nominations show the talent that exists within the county. “It was very nice for my family, my club (Miltown) and for the county. Gary got one (an All Star nomination) …

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Tubs in a league of his own – Doonbeg star becomes NFL all-time top scorer

DAVID Tubridy is no stranger to Man of the Match awards, but his 1-8 haul against Cork on Sunday was certainly distinctive for crowning the Doonbeg and Clare star as the National Football League’s all-time top scorer, reports Eoin Brennan. Trailing Sligo’s first All-Star Mickey Kearins (1971) by just two points heading into Sunday’s tie, Tubridy is now in a league of his own with a remarkable total of 22-412 or 478 points in just 13 seasons. Complements of Padraig Ferguson of ‘GAA lore’ who trawled through the archives of ‘The Irish Independent’ from 1925 onwards, the top ten also includes Mattie Forde (Wexford) with 386, Steven McDonnell (Armagh, 381), Meath’s Brian Stafford (373) and Tubridy’s former manager Mick O’Dwyer (Kerry, 370). “It is [a fair achievement],” admitted Tubridy upon hearing the news at the final whistle in Cusack Park on Sunday. “I didn’t know that now. I don’t keep track, but it’s great that I have that I suppose. …

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It’s Newbridge or nowhere for Clare’s next league encounter

Allianz Football League Division 2 South Round 2 Kildare v Clare at St Conleth’s Park Newbridge, Sunday 2pm (Fergal Kelly, Longford) It’s Newbridge or nowhere for Clare this Sunday as fresh from the timely jolt of a comprehensive opening win over Laois, Colm Collins’ side are gunning to finally break their Lilywhite hoodoo. Successive National League defeats at the Kildare venue in 2016, ’17 and ’19 by an average margin of four points have created an unwanted pattern that they will be eager to redress this time around. After all, the carrot for the winners is a guaranteed place in the last four of Division 2 while for the hosts, a victory would also clinch top spot in the group that includes a semi-final showdown with the runners-up in the Northern half of the divide. There were eerie similarities between Clare and Kildare’s first round successes as both had impressive debutants in Daniel Walsh and Alex Beirne who could well …

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Clare footballers get league campaign off to flier with home win over Laois

National Football League Division 2 South Round 1 Clare 1-16 Laois 0-12 THERE was no grandstand finish in the second of Clare’s Cusack Park double-header after Colm Collins’ side eased to a commanding victory over Laois to commence their Division 2 campaign in ideal fashion this afternoon, reports Eoin Brennan. Leading from start to finish, Clare never loosened their grip on proceedings at any stage after wing-back Daniel Walsh completed the perfect debut with a top corner finish in the 27th minute for what was the only goal of the game. Indeed, the Kilmurry Ibrickane clubman finished with 1-2 while captain Eoin Cleary was equally as influential as his double figure tally included points from play, frees, a mark and even a superb lineball from the left wing to close out a comfortable opener. With the wind at their backs, Clare’s bright start of unanswered points through Cleary, Keelan Sexton and Cathal O’Connor was dampened by a hamstring injury for …

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Good start essential for Clare footballers in hectic schedule

Colm Collins says the Banner panel are ready to make the most of their opportunities THE longest winter in GAA history certainly rivalled anything that Game of Thrones could threaten. However, while spring has been essentially bypassed, it does open up a summer of possibilities albeit that it’s predicated on hitting the ground running, particularly when it comes to football. With the championship being straight knock-out and the imminent National League halved, Clare have only five guaranteed competitive matches in 2021, something which Colm Collins is only too aware of in advance of his eighth season in charge. “The games will be coming at us thick and fast over the next three weekends so we just have to be ready and make the most of the opportunity and I think we will, being honest. “There’s a great energy around the whole camp and that’s to be expected because if you look at it, the majority of them haven’t played a …

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GAA set May dates for Banner’s return to inter-county action

THE Clare hurlers are set to begin their National League campaign on the weekend of May 8/9, while the county’s footballers will return to action the following weekend, according to the GAA fixture calendar released today. Intercounty teams are to resume training on April 19, and the football league will see a regionalised format this year, with Clare facing Cork, Laois and Kildare in Division 2 South. They will begin with an away tie against Kildare. After the action begins the hurlers will have five league games, but the competition will not have a specific final this year, with the winners of Divisions 1A and 1B being joint winners, or if they meet in the championship, this will double as a final. As in 2020 the Munster and Leinster hurling championships will be knock out, with a back door qualifier system. The football championship will be knock out, with no qualifier system. Both the football and hurling championships will get …

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Collins commits to Clare footballers for eighth consecutive season

COLM Collins said he thought “long and hard” before committing to a return as Clare senior football manager for another season. Collins confirmed this week that he would be staying on in the role that has seen him lift Clare from division four to division two and to the brink of a place in football’s top tier. It means an eighth year at the helm for the Cratloe man since succeeding Mick O’Dwyer, making Collins the longest serving manager with the same county in Gaelic football. Clare’s preparations for a season unlikely to have a definitive roadmap for weeks to come are at a very early stage. Collective training is not allowed under the current level of restrictions so players are currently undertaking individual strength and conditioning programmes. Collins and his backroom team have also started preliminary work on tactics via Zoom meetings The Allianz leagues are expected to be pushed back from the original start dates of February 27 …

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