CHRIS Collins is spoiled for choice when asked to pick his favourite goal – he has rattled the back of the net over 100 times for Clonakilty Soccer Club.

The clinical Clon striker recently hit his 100th goal for the club when the back-to-back Premier Division champions beat Togher Celtic 3-1 last month.

It was a milestone moment for one of the West Cork League’s top attackers, who has spearheaded Clon’s current domination.

Collins scored 35 goals in the 2023/24 season when Clonakilty won the WCL Premier Division for the first time, and also lifted the Beamish Cup for the first time since 2008.

Last season Collins racked up 33 goals as Clon defended their league and Beamish Cup crowns, and also won the Premier Division Cup and Michael Cronin Cup.

Already this year, the Clonakilty goal machine has scored 14 goals in eight games.

‘Mousey (John Leahy, manager) keeps track of all that stuff and he said at the start of the season that I wasn’t far away from the 100-goal mark,’ Collins told the Star Sport Podcast, reflecting on becoming a centurion goal scorer.

‘I didn’t think it would come that soon. Hopefully there are more to come! It wouldn’t have happened without the lads around me. When you have a good bunch of lads around you, it makes it easier.’

Collins’ emergence as a goal guarantee is striking. From scoring three goals in both the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns to eight in 2022/23, he has gone goal-crazy in the past three seasons – so what is the secret to his success?

‘I used to play a bit deeper, in the number six or eight position. When Lorne (Edmead) came in to give Mousey a hand, he pushed me further forward – I had more of a free reign then,’ he explained.

‘It ignited in the first game – we won, and I chipped in with a few assists. It kept going from there. It was an accident, but a welcome one!’

So, which goals stand out? Collins has a vast selection to choose from.

‘My favourite – I scored a free kick to win the Beamish Cup and bring the cup back to Clon for the first time in 16 years,’ he said, recalling his spectacular late match-winner in the 3-2 triumph against Drinagh Rangers in May 2024.

Collins also highlights another match-winning free in that season’s Beamish Cup run – a 25-yard beauty in the 118th minute to beat Castletown Celtic in an extra-time epic.

There was also his long-range free when Clon beat Drinagh on the final day of last season to clinch the league title.

‘I forgot about that one!’ he laughed, when reminded.

The secret to Collins’ success – and Clonakilty’s dominance – is hard work.

‘It’s all about repetition – getting out on the pitch, training. Just keep practising. It’s like anything, if you keep trying, you will improve. It’s hard work,’ Collins added, as he has helped Clonakilty Soccer Club overtake Drinagh Rangers as the top team in the West Cork League right now.

‘We were so close for so long. Trying to catch Drinagh was our aim every year but we just kept falling short.

‘Beating them in that Beamish Cup final took that monkey off our backs.

‘The only other time before then that I had beaten Drinagh in a junior game was my first junior soccer match – that was ten or 11 years before. We’ve now beaten them four or five times since.’

With Collins still banging in the goals, Clon will be hard to stop again this season.