IT’S SELDOM THAT the future of Kerry football isn’t in rude health, but even by their own lofty standards, supporters in the Kingdom must be pretty excited by the calibre of the minor team that will bring the Tom Markham Cup back to the south-west this evening for the third year in a row.
Yesterday at Croke Park, Kerry won their third consecutive All-Ireland minor football title courtesy of a 3-7 to 0-9 victory over Galway — a feat made even more impressive by the fact that they hadn’t won an All-Ireland at minor level for 20 years prior to the beginning of this run of dominance in 2014.
The greasy conditions weren’t conducive to a thrilling spectacle but there were still many impressive performances throughout the Kerry team, none more so than that of Spa wing-forward Dara Moynihan, who kicked two points from play to earn himself the man-of-the-match award.
Nevertheless, even on a day when the opposition did well to curb his influence, David Clifford made sure to make a spectacular contribution. The Fossa clubman was held scoreless until the 53rd minute, but he ended his barren spell in style.
Collecting the ball 65 yards out from goal and wide on the right, the six-foot-two corner-forward used his pace to take him away from Galway’s Adam Quirke on the outside. Clifford then cut in and — despite the best efforts of Sean Mulkerrin — rifled the ball into the top corner from a difficult angle.
While it was a superb goal to look at, the green flag also came at a vital time for Kerry. With just seven minutes remaining, Galway were enjoying a purple patch and had managed to reduce the gap to just two points — 2-4 to 0-8. However, Clifford’s strike halted their revival and Kerry finished well to seal the victory.
Clifford, who also set up David Shaw’s 21st-minute goal with a brilliant piece of fielding, ended the championship campaign with a tally of 2-34 from six games, including a haul of 0-8 in the semi-final defeat of Kildare, after which he was named man-of-the-match.
Back in April, Clifford scored 2-5 at Croke Park as St Brendan’s Killarney ended a 24-year wait for a Hogan Cup title by recording a 2-13 to 2-6 triumph over St Patrick’s Maghera. Afterwards, Brendan’s manager Gary McGrath likened Clifford to a legend of Kerry football.
“David Clifford reminds me every day at training of no one else but Maurice Fitzgerald,” McGrath said. “I can see it in him. I will be killed for saying it. That is who he reminds me of. I have said it to people on the quiet. He is a big talent. If he is nurtured and looked after, he has a big career in front of him.”
It’s unlikely to be long before we see Clifford in the Kerry jersey at senior level, but they probably won’t be in a hurry to accelerate his development. With the Kingdom chasing four-in-a-row, Clifford will still be a minor in 2017.
Breaking news / Pep Guardiola is having a medical at Manchester City today after paying £50 million for John Stones
Pot . . . . . Kettle . . . . . Black . . . . Im done!
If Pep is having one then when is Jose’s?
Breaking news, Man Utd Accountants having medicals, Crazy money for an player in his twilight, again, crazy money for a player who had one year left on contract, and world record fee for a player let go for next to month a few years ago….. You see, when you point a finger, three pointing back….
Keep up the good work Man Utd, I like seeing the non Utd fans taking the bait ;)
Breaking news ….. Wolves is a bigger club then Liverpool
Oh, so, you believe it, but not when you see every player linked to Man Utd???? With your logic, Liverpool are a bigger club than Man Utd, seeing as Sadio Mane said no fcking way when that lot came in for him…. Typical of some of you Man U fans, move the goalposts non stop……
Was there an offer for Sadio ? Did the clubs talk no ! So do one
U should not drank much coffee hoff
Oooh Jose, mmm, that’s right, ooooh yeah, Pogba, hrmmph, Mkhitaryan, yeah yeah oooooooh!!
Ah Johnny cried…. seriously man, cannot take it?
I see so presumably you have seen me carrying out this apparent act which would make your a ‘peeper’ …. sick or what !
Are you guys related?
We were kind of this morning till I drop him down a big white bowl
A big white bowl with WiFi
How do you know their wasn’t, have you inside info. Supposedly there was an offer last season
Williams and kone in with 18m left over is some business for Everton
Why was Johnny Evans and Arsenal in the same sentence.
Why did they not announce the signing of Stones immediately, what had they to gain by not announcing it? Seems like a lot of embarrassment could’ve been avoided.
City get pants pulled down again in signing another English player
If stones is valued at £47.5m then Pogba for £100m+ doesn’t look too bad after all
The whole transfer market circus makes for some very repetitive commenting.
See United fans are saying stones is too expensive, this is a club who bought eric bailly and Unknown defender for £30 million and martial for even more who at the time was unknown. Not saying if they are right or wrong just its a bit funny the situation
Eric Bailly was known to many in La Liga in a team that came 4th last season so that’s good enough for me. He’s just not English or played in the premier league to be well “known”.
From what I’ve been reading is that he is good but massively overrated and relies to much on his physicality. And still. £30 million for a relatively unknown player is a lot. United can’t take the piss out of anyone else’s signings financially wise
Have a look a cost of transfers v the money earned (not handed over by sugar daddy owner) and Uniteds books are in far better shape than most if not all the Premier League clubs!
Trying to justify the prices is hilarious. It’s being the league who cares
“Good but overrated”…whatever that means. Probably best to give him a chance, no?
Good but overrated, example martial good player but the way people were getting on last season you would think it was ronaldo or Henry in their prime.
I never said he wouldn’t be good, just saying United fans in particular can take the piss out of other teams transfers especially stones when their own manager wanted him
Actually they probably can. They’ll make all the money back in Pogba shirt sales, merchandize etc before the end of the year. As much as I hate to say it, their corporate and marketing partnerships could ensure they boss the financial side of things for years to come. As for Stones, €50m they can have him. We’ll use that money to strengthen the squad with decent players. Koeman seems to have an eye for promising talent.
They will never make the pogba money back on shirt sales clubs get like Max 10 to 15% of revenue on shirt sales sure Real Madrid didn’t even make the beckham money back in shirts
Do you honestly believe that any club that’s spends money on players whether it be 500,000 or 100,000,000 do so without having a plan in place to try and recoup as much of the money as possible . He will be Mr Manchester Utd by the time the season is over if not before , nothing will happen without his picture or name being involved in some shape if form
Oh they will recoup some money back but no where near the amount of the transfer this happens with all the big clubs they never regain the money unless they sell, that’s why all the big clubs except Munich I think are in debt
And liverpool fans talking about Utd and other clubs transfers cause they have nothing to talk about regarding their own club
Think United fans had a lot to say about Liverpool transfers so what does that mean then?
Lads it’s embarrassing, give it a rest. It used to be good banter on here but that’s starting to fade. Ye are starting to sound like school kids.
Spot on Nollaig. You’re right, it’s not banter, it’s the same repetitive comments about the fee for Pogba and now Stones today. It’s not going to drastically effect the lives of anybody on the 42 so get over yourselves for Christ sake.
Meanwhile Flopp demands to know what’s happening with players at Southampton
Booya Carino! you won marketing! That’ll make the pain go away for winning nothing.
He’s not even back a day and the promotion wheels are turning already
https://www.facebook.com/adidasfootball/videos/10153739567103531/
http://bit.ly/2b40fca
That’s exactly what I’m talking about Mark .. PogBoom !
Mark, all that is fine, good business, but at end of the day, you will take the medals over that.