Podge Collins on retirement: 'For the last two years, I've been considering it'

The former dual star announced his departure from the inter-county game earlier this month.

'TIME WAS RIGHT': Podge Collins in Cratloe colours.  Pic: Eugene McCafferty.

Clare great Podge Collins has revealed he considered retiring earlier than he eventually did due to the impact of a series of frustrating injuries.

The former dual star, an All-Ireland winner and hurling All-Star in 2013 - who played in two All-Ireland football quarter-finals - announced his departure from the inter-county game earlier this month.

The 31-year-old Cratloe attacker finished out his county career as a footballer under his father Colm Collins who also stepped down after 10 seasons in charge last summer.

Speaking on Clare FM's Morning Focus show, Collins, who won National League and All-Ireland U-21 medals as a hurler, said injuries had become a real problem for him.

"It was probably coming with a few years of just breaking down at pivotal times in the season," said Collins of his retirement. 

"That was very tough on myself...especially for the last couple of years I was picking up small injuries, they weren't three and four-month injuries, they were kind of one and two-month injuries but it was just affecting consistency and getting on the field consistently and that's very important, especially with the condensed season the way it's gone to a six-month season.

"You're playing so many games in a short period of time so you need to be fit and the last four years I was picking up little knocks, muscle injuries, they weren't bangs or anything like that, and lower back injuries so kind of for the last two years I've been considering it. I just felt the time was right this year to step aside and let the next man up."

Collins was nominated for the Hurler of the Year award after Clare's breakthrough 2013 season when they won the All-Ireland hurling championship under Davy Fitzgerald.

His final game in a Clare jersey was June's All-Ireland round-robin defeat to Ulster champions Derry in Longford. Collins, who suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in 2015, said constantly battling niggles and injuries became a real frustration for him in recent seasons.

"Yeah, any time you get an injury it's frustrating in sport, so it was, but it's part and parcel of it I suppose when you come to my age and when you have a lot of miles on the clock," he said.

New Clare football manager Mark Fitzgerald could be without as many as 11 of his 2023 panel for the new season.

"People talk about players that might be missing for whatever reason but there are some excellent players there and a lot of the players (still involved) that will be driving it," said Collins.

"I'm just excited, I'm genuinely excited to get to the first round of the league against Sligo at home, just to see that team in full flow because we've got some excellent footballers and they're a good age profile and they've a great attitude so Clare football is in a good place with these lads and the new management team in place."

On the hurling front, he believes Clare, back-to-back Munster finalists in the last two campaigns, are in a strong position heading into 2024.

"I’m involved with the Fitzgibbon and Mary I, with my cousin Jamie (Wall), and I’m seeing them first hand," he said of some of Clare's younger players. 

"In fairness, a lot of the Clare hurlers really put up their hand as excellent Fitz hurlers and that’s always a good sign of a player that can make it at inter-county level. There’s an excellent crop of young lads there. 

"I’m not going to go down the list of naming them but they’re exceptional players and a joy to watch and they’ve already proven themselves really so it’s moreso just looking forward to what they do next year as well."