2013 HURLING ALLSTAR Podge Collins is set to be involved with the Clare senior footballers in 2014.
And his older brother Sean will join him in the Banner football setup as the pair seek to juggle dual county commitments this season.
Their father Colm is in charge of the Clare’s senior footballers this year and told TheScore.ie that he is hopeful that they will be able to fill both roles.
“This is new territory for us but let’s see how it goes. We’re hopeful but time will tell. The most important thing is the players themselves and that they will be able to do it. Any quality players we can get for the Clare footballers is great.”
It looks unlikely that Cratloe teammates Conor McGrath, Conor Ryan – who both won hurling Allstars last year - Cathal McInerney and Liam Markham will be involved in the football setup.
Podge was one of the stars of Davy Fitzgerald’s Clare team that lifted the Liam McCarthy Cup last year and also won an All-Ireland U21 hurling medal last September.
Sean was a member of the Clare panel but was plagued by injuries throughout the season which hindered his chances of breaking into the starting fifteen. In 2009 he was part of the Clare side that won the county’s maiden All-Ireland U21 hurling title.
The pair both have plenty football experience and were part of the Cratloe side that won the Clare senior football title last year. Cratloe came desperately close to winning the AIB Munster SFC title in December but lost out by a point to Dr Crokes.
Both have previously played senior for the county with Sean playing in the 2008 Munster championship while Podge featured in the 2012 McGrath Cup.
Sean Collins in action for the Clare senior side in 2008
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Clare will also be able to call on the services of Kevin Hartnett and Shane Brennan for the 2014 season. Hartnett was unavailable last year as he was based in the USA while Brennan was tied up with study commitments. Long-serving duo Ger Quinlan and Declan Callinan have both retired from the Clare setup this year.
