Collins couldn’t watch frantic finale to Clare’s All-Ireland defence

Podge Collins admits he couldn’t bring himself to watch the closing stages of Clare’s championship exit to Wexford last Saturday.

The 2013 All Star, suspended for the game after his red card in the first game in Ennis, was in Wexford Park for the replay but was so wrought with nerves he couldn’t take it in.

“I was down at the hurling game and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, sitting down watching that, thinking you’ve let down the team and not being able to help at all. And then going down to 13 men, it was cruel. The extra time I couldn’t handle: I had to leave with five or 10 minutes to go.