Former Waterford hurler John Mullane believes Clare manager Davy Fitzgerald must reach out and entice Podge Collins back to the Banner’s panel if they are to mount a challenge this summer following Sunday’s Munster SHC championship loss to Limerick.
Collins and a number of other dual players opted out of the Clare hurling panel as Fitzgerald wanted his squad fully committed to hurling.
Clare lost by just a point at Semple Stadium to Limerick, going down 1-19 to 2-15, but now face an uphill task of making it to the business end of this summer’s All-Ireland championship.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Mullane, who played under Fitzgerald during the Clare man's time as Déise manager, said: “For Davy Fitzgerald now, he’s got one massive decision. Does he go knocking on Podge Collins’ door and say to Podge: ‘Look, you know, we’ll leave a little bit of leeway there for you with regards to football’.
“Cratloe play the weekend in the club championship so I think Davy will have a keen eye on those club fixtures.
“I think he’s got to get Podge Collins back.
"He’s got to go and come to some decision and I think he’s got to act fast because I’m looking at the fixtures and Clare footballers won at the weekend [against Limerick] and the latest the Clare footballers could be out of the championship could be mid-July.”
“In my dealings with Davy at Waterford for four years, he is set in his ways but he has no option here" - John Mullane
Mullane said an olive branch should also be held out other dual players who opted for football over hurling, such as Podge’s brother, Seán, and Cathal McInerney.
“That’s three players and if they can get Colm Galvin back, Brendan Bugler back, and Conor McGrath then the more options Davy has the better it will be going forward for him in the summer.
“Against Limerick he brought Bobby Duggan, Seadna Morey and Aaron Cunningham off the bench, the more options he has I think the better equipped he will be.”
However, Mullane conceded that a softening of position by Fitzgerald wouldn’t be easy for him, but it has now become a necessity.
“In my dealings with Davy at Waterford for four years, he is set in his ways but he has no option here.
“Clare are in a bad run of form and haven’t won a Munster championship game since 2013, and they’ve been relegated in the league.
“I’d rather have Podge Collins in the panel than not in the panel, so I think Davy is going to be left with no option but to chase down the Clare footballers to see if he can get him back on side.”
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