Two members of Clare’s All-Ireland winning team of 2013 have departed Brian Lohan’s senior hurling panel while three of the most promising young hurlers in the county have joined the squad.
A nominee for Hurler of the Year when Clare claimed the Liam McCarthy seven years ago, Podge Collins left the county hurling panel at the end of last week. The Cratloe dual-star featured predominantly as a substitute during Lohan’s first Allianz National Hurling League campaign earlier this year.
Collins had previously left the Clare hurling panel in 2015 to focus solely on lining out with the county footballers having previously managed to play both at inter-county level. He first joined the Clare senior panel in 2012 during Davy Fitzgerald’s first year as Banner boss and the UL graduate was one of the standout players in the 2013 campaign collecting an All-Star for his exploits.
The Clare Echo has learned that Podge has not linked up with the Clare footballers as of yet despite reports in the national media stating otherwise. He had been Cratloe’s best player in the club championship as the side managed by his father Colm Collins reached the county decider, falling short to Kilmurry Ibrickane.
Injury has prompted the departure of Colm Galvin from the Clare panel for the 2020 inter-county season. A reoccurring groin injury limited his involvement for Clonlara in the senior hurling championship, he played in a defensive role for Eddie Horgan’s charges but missed out on their Senior B final win over Newmarket-on-Fergus.
Colm informed Lohan of his decision last week. An All Star winner in 2013, he is to remain part of the backroom team assisting with stats on matchdays.
His younger brother, Ian is no longer part of the Clare panel. A Fitzgibbon Cup winner with UL, the attacker is not part of management’s plans for the upcoming championship bid. Ian memorably scored the winning goal to defeat Tipperary in the 2018 Munster SHC. He also hit the net in Lohan’s first outing as Clare manager to once again seal a win over the Premier County, this time in the Munster Senior Hurling League.
The Clare Echo understands that Ballyea’s Niall Deasy has been forced to leave the panel due to work commitments. Deasy made his county senior championship in May 2018 when Clare defeated Waterford 2-27 2-18 in Cusack Park. Alongside Tony Kelly, he had been one of his club’s top performers as they reached the last four of the Clare SHC.
Seadna Morey’s return to the county panel had not been confirmed at the time of going to print. Earlier this month, he collected his fifth Clare SHC medal with Sixmilebridge and had been focusing entirely on the club campaign when the county panel resumed training.
Lohan and his management team of Ken Ralph, James Moran and Sean Treacy had been regular attendees at club games over the summer months as they aimed to bolster their panel. All-Ireland winning U21 captain of 2013 Paul Flanagan has rejoined the panel.
Some of the county’s most promising young hurlers including Scariff’s Mark Rodgers, Shane Meehan of The Banner and Cian Galvin of Clarecastle have began training with the senior side. Rodgers played an integral role as Scariff sealed a return to the senior ranks while Galvin who alongside Conner Hegarty captained St Flannan’s to Harty Cup glory played a central role for the Magpies senior side, Meehan lit up the Junior B hurling championship leading his club to their first ever title at the grade. Corner back Paddy Donnellan of Broadford and Wolfe Tones defender Darragh Lohan have also received a call from the former full-back.
