Lighthearted penalty prep work pays off for Patrick Collins

Modern inter-county GAA is an area where every eventuality is wargamed, with plans A, B, C and D in place. Well, nearly every eventuality.

The possibility of a penalty shootout deciding Saturday’s Munster SHC final existed beforehand, but only in a nebulous fashion: when something has never happened before, we tend not to place too much store in it occurring.

Cork goalkeeper Patrick Collins had never been involved in a shootout before and, while there was some practice undertaken, it wasn’t with the championship mindset in place.

“I suppose at the end of training we do a few penalties just for the craic,” Collins says, “myself and the forwards.

“That's it, really. It's probably more so for their practice rather than me thinking that you'd go a penalty shooter or whatnot, it's a bit of a laugh after training and we do it every so often. But to think you'd have a game going into penalties, I suppose the chances are slim.”

For a keeper, a shootout affords the chance to be a hero and Collins was able to keep out Tom Morrissey’s effort for Limerick.

“If you could get even one or two, that puts the pressure back on them and takes a bit of the pressure off our lads striking them,” he says.

“I suppose you're hoping for a bit of luck, then.”

Cork and Collins also benefited from the fact that the shootout took place at the Clare end of TUS Gaelic Grounds, which had a majority of Rebel supporters present.

“When you're going down to the Cork crowd and you get a bit of a cheer, it gives you a bit of a lift,” Collins says.

“But I suppose whatever way it went, you just have to manage it and deal with it. It's no different to the first half or second half, with the supporters and without.

It's just the kind of situation we found ourselves are in, but it was class at the end.”

And was Collins asked if he wanted to take one of Cork’s five?

“Yeah, I suppose he [Pat Ryan] would have [asked] alright but I said I'd concentrate on the other end,” he says. “But look, the lads, there's plenty of forwards who can take penalties.”

Cork now have four weeks to prepare for the All-Ireland semi-final – time to practise penalties while hoping the need for them does not arise.

A first Munster title in seven years is of course something to celebrate, especially coming on the back of the Allianz Hurling League victory – the first time since 1972 that Cork have completed such a double. At the same time, everybody in the camp will be keen to add more silverware.

Collins – who was part of the successful provincial title-winning squads of 2017 and 2018 as backup to Anthony Nash – appreciates what has been done but is naturally keen to kick on.

“Yeah, look, it's class,” he says, “it's just building blocks, really.

“I suppose we went after a performance and that's what we got and the result took care of itself. But we're no illusion that in four weeks' time, we're going to face a big challenge again.

KNUCKLE DOWN

“So it's just knuckle down for the next four weeks, work really hard, get everyone back in for competition, enjoy training. And no different than we have in the last few weeks.

“So I suppose it gives the few lads with injuries just [a chance] to sort out their niggles and stuff like that but it's time to go hard now again for the next four weeks.”