*Clare senior football manager, Colm Collins. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
COLM COLLINS has lamented Clare’s display which led to their exit from the All-Ireland SFC and said he will stick with his approach of taking time to consider his future in the role.
Collins is the longest-serving inter-county football manager at present with 2014 his first season in the senior hotseat.
He was quick to break it to members of the media that they will not be the first to hear when he reaches a decision on his future. “Much as I appreciate all the marvellous work ye guys do promoting Gaelic Games and much as I respect every one of ye, ye are not going to be the first people to know when I’m gone”.
He added, “My family might be first, the players might be second, the backroom team might be third and the county board might be fourth. But it’s something we’ve got to think about anyway”.
Derry’s finishing was praised by the Kilmihil native with their “clinical display” in front of goal causing heartache for the Banner county. “Things needed to go really right for us and I don’t think they did. I don’t think we played particularly well in a lot of aspects of our game. And we were punished”.
Conceding 2-01 before Clare had a score on the board was far from ideal. “It was a bit of a mountain alright. Conceding those early goals is exactly what you don’t do. And anytime we made a break to get back at them, they answered immediately with a goal”.
Similarly having scored 1-01 without reply via Pearse Lillis and Eoin Cleary, hopes of a Clare revival before half-time were quenched when Paul Cassidy struck the ball in the back of the net. “That goal before half-time was a killer, we had got it down to six at that point. Listen, you can go on and on and on about Clare but you’ve got to give credit to Derry. It was a fine display and (Rory Gallagher) has a fine team”.
What Derry were able to bring to the table did not shock the Clare management, Colm stated. “One of the things about being in the same division as Derry, you’re aware of their personnel and what they can do. There was no surprises. That’s as clinical as they’ve ever been in front of goal, though”.
Of regret to the two-time Clare SFC winning manager was the performance exhibited by his charges. “If you took only an U12 team you had and you took them out and they didn’t perform, you’d be cheesed (off) afterwards. But you’re as good as you’re allowed to play and I would in no way take away from Derry’s performance.
“One of the key things about the top teams, and I would rate Derry as that, is that you don’t give away silly goals like that (first one). If you’re on the back foot then, things change. I thought we were doing well up to then. That was a killer. It wasn’t a great display by us, you’d be disappointed with that. If you’d gone out and performed well and got beaten, then fair enough. But as I said, you’re as good as you’re allowed to play. It’s good for development and it’s nice to see Clare football teams playing in Croke Park, our hurlers have been there a good bit. But today, it’s hard to focus in on that part of it”.
