Podge Collins and Cratloe ready to meet Tony Kelly’s Ballyea in Clare decider

Podge Collins is hoping that it isn’t a case of deja vu when he comes up against county teammate Tony Kelly in Sunday’s Clare senior hurling final.

Collins’s Cratloe are bidding for their first title since 2014 when, remarkably, they won a senior hurling and football double, and the 2017 All-Ireland club finalists Ballyea, led by Kelly, stand in their way.

They played earlier in the campaign and the 2013 Hurler of the Year went to town, finishing with 1-11 to his name.

“I was on him for three of them. The first three points and we were like, ‘Ah Podge… come over!’” smiled Collins.

While Collins points out that Ballyea carry a range of threats across their team, which also includes county defender Jack Browne and Clare football star Gary Brennan, it’s clear that Kelly is the man that they need to contain more than any other.

Collins said: “Listen, I actually remember giving an interview when I was minor and this lad was under-17, and I was like, ‘What this lad can do in training, people haven’t seen before’.

“It was what people were doing on a hurling field at senior. He’s always been a special talent.

“He’s focused, hard-working and he’s always been the same way in work and school and the same on the hurling field.

“What he does off it is why he is so good, and he’s really showing it on the field this year.

“He’ll need watching on Sunday but if you go through their team, nearly all of them have played inter-county in either hurling or football.

“They are all able to win their own ball. They are very hard-working, very fit and very competitive so they’ll be a tough ask.”

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