*Colm Collins. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
COLM COLLINS has stepped down as manager of the Clare senior footballers.
Clare bowed out of the All-Ireland SFC on Saturday evening in Longford following a six point defeat to Derry with Kilmihil native Collins informing players in the dressing room afterwards that he would not be continuing in the role next season.
Appointed in September 2013, Colm was the longest serving inter-county manager in the game at the time of his resignation. During his stewardship, he led Clare to promotion from the bottom tier of the Allianz National Football League to Division 2 where they kept their status for seven years.
Collins was also the first manager to guide Clare to appearances in the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals, reaching the stage in 2016 and 2022 where they came up short against Kerry and Derry.
This season, Clare defeated Cork for the first time in championship since 1997 and contested the Munster Final for the first time since 2010. His provincial record as manager was not as successful given the near annual meetings with Kerry on their side of the draw.
Pearse Park was tinged with sadness and an expectation that Colm would step away at the final whistle. It’s why retired players such as David Tubridy and Gordon Kelly who thrived under Collins paid their respects as did Clare players from another generation, Francis McInerney, Ger Keane and Brendan Rouine.
Clare GAA Chairman, Kieran Keating who was present at the game expressed thanks and congratulations to Colm on behalf of Clare GAA, on all he had accomplished during his tenure. “Colm Collins has been an effective and steady hand at the helm of Clare Football for a decade, consistently raising standards in a calm and efficient manner and always advocating strongly for what was best for Clare Football. I would like to express the sincere thanks of Clare County Board on behalf of all in Clare GAA for all Colm has done for us and undoubtedly leaving Clare Football in a stronger position than when he took charge”.
Clare GAA Head of Operations Deirdre Murphy added her thanks to Colm. “We are so appreciative to Colm for the time, energy and effort he has put into Clare Senior Footballers over the last decade. Colm’s longevity and consistency in pushing Clare football forward and in creating an environment where Clare players worked extremely hard to maximise their potential is a mark of the man. We thank him sincerely and are sure he will continue to be an important presence in Clare Football in the years ahead”.
