Culture club: Castlehaven's young stars leading from the front, says Collins

Gone with the Cork footballers were Maguire, his brother Rory, Brian Hurley, and Jack Cahalane. Gone with the Cork hurlers were Jack’s older brothers, Conor and Damien.

That’s a lot of respected figures, not to mind leadership and experience, to be removed from the local field for the first half of the season.

That’s where Collins comes in. He’s in situ all year round. No more respected figure in Castlehaven to drive standards and drag everyone else along with him than the 34-year-old captain.

Collins doesn’t see it so. And it’s not that he’s trying to be modest with regard to his role or standing within the group. He’s simply adamant that nobody has to be dragged along. He’s adamant that there are far more than him setting standards.

“To be honest, we are unbelievably lucky here. We have a group of lads around 23, 24 years of age, and their attitude and their culture is just top class,” he begins.

“We are kinda left to our own devices with the gym. The way they lead that and take responsibility for it is great to see and it makes our job as the older guys very easy.

“Obviously lads will still respect you because you have been around a long time or whatever, and if there is anything to be said, they'll take it on board. But we are very lucky that they lead just as much as we do.” 

Collins is referencing here the likes of corner-back Thomas O’Mahony who threw himself in front of Brian Hayes' equalising goal attempt at the end of the Barrs semi-final. There’s fellow defenders Jack O’Neill and Jamie O’Driscoll. There’s half-forward Robbie Minihane who provided the deciding goal in last November’s extra-time Munster quarter-final win over Cratloe. And Joseph Bohane too.

“They've come along as a group together and if there is anyone in that group that would be kind of stepping out of line, one of the other lads holds them in place. The culture within them is excellent. They just follow each other, get on well together, and they are just a good bunch with good commitment.” It’s because of the above that restarting in early March, after less than two months off, was without issue. It didn’t matter that the off-season had been significantly shorter than other years. It didn’t matter that the spotlight had disappeared off them, attention had moved elsewhere, and all that was left for them was the muck and dirt of the spring slog.

“The mood was brilliant coming back,” Collins continued.

“Normally you end in September or October and are not back until early the next year, whereas we continued training together through the whole winter, and you had all your Cork lads together with you for a long period.

“We really gelled and mixed as a group, which was further helped by the trip we went on together. There is a great mix between young and older lads. The younger lads in the group are keeping the older lads still young with the stories and the craic we get from them.” 

Mention of last winter is motivation for Sunday. Sunday offers a ticket and an opportunity to relive the events of 12 months ago. Victory Sunday and the band stays together.

“The journey was just absolutely crazy. It is one we'll never forget down here because so many things happened in the Munster final that were memorable.

“I've said it a good few times, but we were definitely beaten three times in it. We were beaten in normal time, in extra-time, and beaten again in penalties as Dingle had a penalty to win it, so to get out of it was escaping from jail. And the scenes that day, in the conditions, were just incredible.

“That is why you make the commitment, that is what you make the sacrifice for, you want to be part of those days. To be looking forward to another county final is just unbelievable.” 

For Collins, Sunday is a seventh Cork decider. In chasing his fourth winners medal, he’ll be at the front of the Haven vanguard, though absolutely not alone.