Colm Collins, the GAA’s longest-serving inter-county manager, has brought the curtain down on his 10-year reign as Clare football boss.

The Cratloe clubman stepped down in the wake of Clare’s defeat to Derry in their final game of the All-Ireland SFC round-robin series yesterday. Collins became the longest-serving inter-county manager in football and hurling following Brian Cody’s departure from the Kilkenny hotseat last year. The Banner were already knocked out of the championship after losing their two previous games to Donegal and Monaghan.

"I've done my term and it's time for somebody else to take up the baton now," Collins told RTÉ.

"I think there's a fabulous group of players there and I'm looking forward to watching them without the thumping of the heart.

"Initially I took the job for a year and it rolled on and rolled on and rolled on. I always said that if we had a poor season I'd step down and I suppose this has been a poor season, so I've done what I'd said."

While Collins’ reign may have ended on a disappointing note, he enjoyed some great days with the Banner who he brought from Division 4 to 2 of the Allianz League and transformed into a highly-competitive and well-organised outfit. He also guided them to All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals in 2016 and 2022 where they lost to Kerry and Derry respectively.

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