Former Down All-Ireland minor winner Martin Clarke will make his AFL debut for Collingwood against Tadhg Kennelly’s Sydney Swans at the Telstra Stadium on Saturday, June 23.

Collingwood officials have been amazed at the 19-year-old’s rate of progress since he joined the club last August. He will break former Laois minor football star Colm Begley’s record for the fastest AFL debut of any Irish player in the game’s history.

The former An Riocht player turned in a five-star display for the Melbourne club in his only previous senior appearance, which was a practice match against the Swans in February.

Unfortunately, Clarke won’t have an opportunity to pit his skills against fellow Irishman Kennelly, as the Listowel native is currently sidelined with a knee injury.

Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse said: “Martin Clarke is a very impressive young man and he has done everything we have expected of him.

“In fact, he has exceeded our expectations and has gone way beyond where we thought he would be at this stage of his development.”