Patrick Collins: 'At the end of training we do a few penalties just for the craic, myself and the forwards'

"When you're going down to the Cork crowd and you get a bit of a cheer, it gives you a bit of a lift."

Mon, 09 Jun, 2025 - 06:00

John Fogarty

On the sideline, Damien Cahalane appeared to be directing Patrick Collins as to which side each Limerick penalty taker was going to shoot.

Cahalane would know a thing or two about saving penalties in TUS Gaelic Grounds. At the other Town end as Storm Fergus enveloped the venue in December 2023, he kept out Dingle and Kerry star Tom O’Sullivan on the way to securing Castlehaven a Munster senior club football title.

Collins was level to Tom Morrissey’s shot and saw Barry Murphy and Declan Hannon hit shots either side of his posts as Cork triumphed. But as for preparing for them, there wasn’t much the Ballinhassig man could do aside from some fun after a training session.

“I suppose at the end of training we do a few penalties just for the craic, myself and the forwards. That's it, really. It's probably more so for their practice rather than me thinking that you'd go a penalty shooter or what not. It's a bit of a laugh after training and we do it every so often. But to think you'd have a game going into penalties, I suppose the chances are that it's going to be slim enough.”

Collins acknowledged the importance of the Cork following on the Ennis Road terrace behind him. “When you're going down to the Cork crowd and you get a bit of a cheer, it gives you a bit of a lift.

“But I suppose whatever way it went, you just have to manage it and deal with it. It's no different to the first half or second half, with the supporters and without. It's just the kind of situation we found ourselves are in. Yeah, it was class at the end.”

Collins was asked by Pat Ryan if he fancied taking a penalty but chose to focus on stopping Limerick’s effort. “Yeah, I suppose he would have alright but I said I'd concentrate on the other end. But look, the lads, there's plenty of forwards who can take penalties.”

Collins’s third Munster SHC medal, first on the field of play, is special but he could also put it in perspective. There’s a lot more to play for in an All-Ireland semi-final on July 5. “Look, it's class. It's just building blocks, really. I suppose we went after a performance and that's what we got and the result took care of itself.

“But we're no illusion that in four weeks, we're going to face a big challenge again. So it's just knuckle down for the next four weeks, work really hard, get everyone back in for competition, enjoy training.

“And no different than we have in the last few weeks. So I suppose it gives the few lads with injuries just (a chance) to sort out their niggles and stuff like that but it's time to go hard now again for the next four weeks.”