UTV Ireland will broadcast a documentary tonight, Monday May 30th on the return from injury of Clare All Ireland winner and dual star Podge Collins.
Podge Collins: My Toughest Year, which broadcasts this Monday, 30th May, at 8pm, gives an in-depth insight into the dedication and pain that the amateur athlete endured, for the passion of his sport and county.
Over the past 12-months, UTV Ireland sports reporter and fellow Clare native, Marie Crowe, followed Podge throughout each step of his recovery process – gaining exclusive access to his surgical procedure, his rehabilitation and his fight to regain match-day fitness, as he lines out for his first Championship clash next weekend.
UTV went through a challenging period when it first established in Dublin but after last years purchase by the ITV network it is now on a solid financial footing and will be an increasing force in Sports programming.
This is a first step into documentary but will likely be followed up with more and the channel will also be using its relationship with ITV to broadcast next weekend’s French Open tennis finals from Roland Garros.
Facing a devastating injury and subsequent recovery is not the only challenge Podge Collins has faced in recent times. Balancing his career with a strict training regime for two teams competing at the highest level also presents significant challenges.
“When you’re a young lad growing up and playing both codes, one of the hard things is when you are thinking during the week that you have training with this coach and that coach on the same night – and you’re wondering who will I ring and how will I work it. I really found that difficult because I hate telling one manager I couldn’t train because I was training with someone else.
“This year it’s been very well organised. Both managements have been coordinating the schedule and then that’s put in front of me and I just do it. I know exactly where I’m going to be each night of the week.”
“People say hurling requires more skill, but I think football is just as skilful. You see the great players like Colm Cooper, James O’Donoghue, Sean Cavanagh, Diarmuid Connolly and Bernard Brogan. The skill level they bring to the table is unbelievable and, while it’s hard to get anywhere near them, it’s important to bring the football down to the alley, as well as the hurley.”
With his father Colm also a stalwart of Clare GAA, Podge describes the feeling of winning a National Football League under the management of his dad.
“You obviously want to play for your father and winning a League final in Croke Park was special and something I’ll never forget.”
“It’s ben tough but you know when you think about the bigger problems there are in the world, like kids sick in hospital and all, it’s no big deal really.”
“GAA played a huge part in my family life and, from a very young age, I have had nothing but respect and admiration for club and county players who put their bodies on the line, purely for the passion of the sport,” said Marie Crowe who has built the documentary from the heart as well as the head.
“The incredible thing is that these people are going through so much for nothing beyond the getting back, there’s no financial reward but it is so hard. You just have to be so impressed at the application, the dedication.”
“It was funny when he was coming up from Clare to the Santry Sports Clinic and he was fasting. He was so hungry and he couldn’t think of anything else.”
“Then when he came around after the operation his first question was ‘how did it go, when can I come back?”
“A lot of people don’t see what goes on behind the scenes. Players train first thing in the morning, fulfil their day-job, and train again in the evening – all to maintain a level of fitness on par with some of the highest paid sports professionals in the world.”
“Podge is a prime example of one of Ireland’s finest amateur athletes who dedicates his life to his county. He has fought hard and faced challenges that many of us would have shied away from – all to wear the coveted saffron and blue. It has been a pleasure following Podge on his journey to recovery and I would like to thank him for giving us exclusive access for this documentary.”
Podge Collins: My Toughest Year broadcasts this Monday, 30th May, at 8pm exclusively on UTV Ireland.
