‘It has changed massively' – Cork GAA star compares hurling to NFL as he singles out ‘one of the main reasons I like it'

The Irish Sun

2 days ago

WHILE he is ultimately his side's last line of defence, the man between the posts for Cork could be forgiven for feeling more like Patrick Mahomes than Patrick Collins.
Gone are the days when shot-stopping and Hail Mary puck-outs were the only criteria an inter-county
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Patrick Collins revealed how hurling is changing
Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
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He compared being a goalkeeper to being a quarter-back in the NFL
Credit: Getty
Collins explains that the position has 'evolved hugely' since he joined the
He explained: 'When I first came in, to now, it has changed massively. It has become a quarterback role, in my
opinion
. You're putting people in the best positions possible.
'There's a huge emphasis on puck-outs. The day for pucking the ball long and hoping for the best is gone really. You're trying to play the percentage game. It's not always possible.
'Your core values are still your shot-stopping, your touch, your control, your handling. It's kind of a quarterback feel that you're trying to find
space
here and there. That's one of the main reasons I like it — it's a challenging position.'
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As the role of the goalkeeper has changed, so too has the prism through which the performances of men like Collins are analysed.
He put his body on the line to make a save that denied Aaron Gillane a goal in last year's All-Ireland semi-final win over
Yet that vital intervention would quickly have been consigned to
history
if his puck-outs were botched.
The 2024 All-Star nominee said: 'I'd be critical of myself in terms of that too. I'd be looking for perfection in a way, so if anyone is to be critical, it's going to be me anyway.
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'Whatever happens outside, I don't mind that. You could have three or four outstanding saves but then your puck-outs aren't on — that's just
the challenge
of being a goalkeeper.
'It is not always going to be perfect either way. That's what you're striving for — perfection.'
Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview -
Many moving parts must align for a puck-out strategy to be effective.
But as his own biggest critic, Collins has grown skin thick enough to handle the backlash when fans vent their frustration over the opposition forcing Cork into a fumble.
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The Garda, 28, said: 'I'd be good at keeping the outside noise out.
'I wouldn't take much heed to what people are saying or what's being said about what way we're playing or what way the puck-outs are going. I know myself what way they're going.'
Preventing a side's restarts from malfunctioning is a matter of collective responsibility but still, there is generally a convenient scapegoat when things go awry.
Collins outlined: 'It's a team game. It's a link-up between me and the lads. If the lads move and I don't hit them, that's on me. If I hit it and they don't move, that's on them.
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'But it's just natural that the focus does come back to the goalkeeper — that's just the way it is. You have to have the mental strength to keep on going and take it on the chin really.'
Having been Anthony Nash's reserve when Cork completed back-to-back Munster SHC titles in 2018, tomorrow's clash with
Limerick
at the Gaelic Grounds will mark a first appearance in a provincial final for Collins.
After losing to the same opposition by 16 points last month, the Rebels resemble a team on fourth down in their own red zone as they look to scupper the Treaty's seven-in-a-row bid.
Collins insisted: 'Our
work
rate wasn't there, our pace wasn't up to what Limerick brought. We let ourselves down as a team. We were disappointed in what we brought to it. Our standards weren't up to scratch. We know that ourselves.
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'We have an opportunity now to bring a different version of ourselves on Saturday.'