David Collins (hurler)

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

|code = Hurling

|sport = Hurling

|image = David Collins and Eoin Kelly (Tipperary).jpg

|caption = David Collins of Galway (left) holds off Tipperary's Eoin Kelly (right) in the 2014 National Hurling League

|name = David Collins

|irish = Daithí Ó Coileáin

|fullname = David Collins

|feet = 6

|inches = 1

|nickname = Davy

|county = Galway

|province = Leinster

|clubs = Liam Mellows

|clposition = Midfield

|clyears =

|clapps(points) =

|clcounty = 1

|clprovince =

|clallireland =

|counties = Galway

|icposition = Right half back

|icyears = 2004–2016

|icapps(points) = 46 (0-04)

|icprovince = 1

|icallireland = 0

|nhl = 2

|allstars = 1

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1984|3|17}}

|birth_place = Galway, Ireland

| icupdate = 15:52, 22 August 2012

}}

David Collins (born 17 March 1984) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a right corner-back for the Galway senior team. He joined the team in 2004 and has been a regular member until 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/galway-boss-hayes-names-strong-side-for-down-date-153776.html|title=Galway boss Hayes names strong side for Down date|publisher=Breaking News website|date=23 June 2004|access-date=22 August 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ghsc.ie/index.php/more/player-profiles/965-david-collins|title=Player profile: David Collins|publisher=Galway Hurling Supporters Club website|date=30 July 2012|access-date=22 August 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218004607/http://www.ghsc.ie/index.php/more/player-profiles/965-david-collins|archive-date=18 February 2013}}

An All-Ireland medalist in the under-21 grade, Collins has been a stalwart on the Galway team for almost a decade. He has won one Leinster winners' medal, two National Hurling League winners' medals and one Vodafone Young Hurler of the Year award. He ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on three occasions.

At club level Collins plays with the Liam Mellows club in Galway. Won a senior league with Liam Mellows in 2016 as a centre back.

Early life and education

Collins attended St. Joseph's Patrician College.{{cite news|first=Daragh|last=Small|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-rugby/the-bish-are-ready-to-be-a-force-once-again-35559579.html|title=The Bish are ready to be a force once again|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=24 March 2017|access-date=24 March 2017|quote=Ireland international goalkeeper David Forde honed his skills at the Bish, as did the new president of the GPA and former Galway hurling captain David Collins; and esteemed Irish rower, and two-time Olympian, Neville Maxwell.}}

Playing career

=Club=

Collins plays his club hurling with his local Liam Mellows GAA club in Galway. He has had some success at underage level, however, the club hadn't won a senior county club championship title since 1970 until Sunday 3 December 2017.

=Inter-county=

Collins first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Galway minor hurling team. He enjoyed little success in this grade but later played with the under-21 county side. He won an All-Ireland medal with the Galway under-21 team in 2005 following a 1–15 to 1–14 defeat of Kilkenny.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishpost/sport/galway-upstage-sept2105.asp|title=Galway Upstage Kilkenny Again|publisher=Irish Abroad website|access-date=22 August 2012}}

By this stage Collins was a regular on the Galway senior team. He won a National League winners medal in 2004 as Galway defeated Waterford by 2–15 to 1–13.{{cite news|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/2004/0509/sport/kfeygbidcwoj/|title=Galway cruise to League glory|publisher=Breaking News website|access-date=22 August 2012|date=9 May 2004}}{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306144627/http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/gaa/galway-cruise-to-league-glory-146825.html |archive-date=6 March 2016}} Later that year he made his championship debut at centre-back against Down.

In 2005 Galway defeated both Tipperary and Kilkenny in the All-Ireland series to qualify for an All-Ireland final showdown with Cork. It was the first meeting of Cork and Galway in an All-Ireland final since 1990. Men from the west had never beaten Cork in a championship decider. Neither side broke away into a considerable lead, however, at the final whistle, Cork was ahead by 1–21 to 1–16. In spite of this defeat, Collins ended the year as the Vodafone Young Hurler of the Year.

In 2007 Collins was appointed Galway captain.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/hurling/2007/0205/214182-collinsd/|title=Collins selected as Galway captain|publisher=RTÉ Sport|access-date=22 August 2012|date=14 June 2007}}

After a number of disappointing seasons, Collins won a second National League medal in 2010 following a 2–22 to 1–17 defeat of Cork.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0502/galway_cork.html |title=Galway 2–22 Cork 1–17 |work=RTÉ Sport |access-date=22 August 2012 |date=4 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504205423/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0502/galway_cork.html |archive-date=4 May 2010 }}

In 2012, Galway shocked reigning All-Ireland champions Kilkenny and won a historic Leinster title by 2–21 to 2–11.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/hurling/2012/0708/328320-galway-kilkenny/|title=Galway land historic Leinster win|date=8 July 2012|publisher=RTÉ Sport|access-date=9 July 2012}} It was Collins' first provincial winners' medal in any grade. He was dropped from Galway panel in 2016.