On Sunday Colm Collins takes Clare into a 10th championship campaign.
Now the longest-serving manager in football, he stands over his enthusiasm for the tiered All-Ireland championship even though relegation last month pushed his own county into the Tier 2 category.
This weekend Clare play Cork in a Munster quarter-final that must be won if the county is to have any chance of remaining in Tier 1 (the Sam Maguire) by reaching this year’s provincial final.
He knows the importance of this match against opponents who were big winners when the counties met in last month’s Division Two fixture.
The top 25 women’s sporting moments of the year: 25-16 revealed with Vikki Wall, Lara Gillespie and Ireland Sevens featuring
Sarsfields captain Niamh McGrath on returning to the pitch after childbirth: ‘I’m not an inspiration to anyone’
Are Loughmore-Castleiney and Slaughtneil what all GAA clubs should strive to be?
Podge Collins tips Jason Gillane to take over as Limerick’s No 1
“Absolutely. It’s a big one alright with your All-Ireland status on the line.”
It hasn’t changed his view of the desirability of the competition. A long-time advocate of championship reform – he attended the 2021 special GAA congress as a delegate to urge change – he believes that having graded competition is a huge improvement even as he prepares to fight tooth and nail to stay in the Sam Maguire.
“I think it’s a fantastic idea and that anyone in the Tailteann is there on merit, no more about it and it’s great that there’s something there for teams that may not have performed as well as they could in a specific season. I’m a big proponent of having the Sam Maguire and Tailteann.”
As manager he has twice led Clare to All-Ireland quarter-finals, including last year when they lost to Ulster champions Derry.
“For a long time there were counties playing for nothing in the championship. I think that’s [the new format] great but the jury’s out on the compressed season.”
He is not suggesting that the split season be discontinued as the players overwhelmingly favour it but he says that it makes things harder for team managers
“The players love it and that’s a fair barometer. Talking to them they like the fact that we’re out next Sunday and have a chance to make up for not doing so well in the last few weeks. If that’s the case, let’s go with it.
“From a management point of view, the old system was great and when you finished the league and if things weren’t going that well you had six or eight weeks to sort things out but with this you’d better hit the ground running.”
On Sunday, he says: “I hope that on the day we put in a performance.”
Clare play Cork in the Munster quarter-final on Sunday in Ennis at 2.0. The winners will play Limerick in the provincial semi-final on April 22nd.
