DAVID CLIFFORD TRULY lived up to his recent billing as one of the most talented minors in history, as he bagged 4-4 in a glittering performance in yesterday’s All-Ireland minor final.
The Fossa wonderkid has drawn serious attention of late for his remarkable shooting displays, and there has been speculation about what’s next for the Kingdom’s minor captain.
The lure of Australia and the AFL is ever-present, and concerns for Kerry fans were intensified yesterday when the league’s official Twitter account shared an article entitled ‘Potential Irish star hard to prise from home’.
The tweet read: “David Clifford, an 18-year-old Gaelic footballer, will come onto the radar of several AFL clubs.”
David Clifford, an 18-year-old Gaelic footballer, will come onto the radar of several AFL clubs. https://t.co/xWVZo23xA7
— AFL (@AFL) September 17, 2017
Tomás Ó Sé voiced his opinion and addressed the tweet on The Sunday Game last night.
“Now this tweet here – Look, I don’t mind if David Clifford gets offered a way to go out to Australia,” he said.
“But I don’t know why they’re tweeting about it. If the guy goes, he goes.
“I don’t know who’s driving it. But this is a guy who the AFL have apparently not tapped up yet, but the AFL are tweeting about him tonight, writing articles about him. There obviously is interest out there.
“I hope he stays at home for the good of Kerry football, but you can’t force a young fella to stay at home. He needs to want to stay at home, and I hope he does.”
He also tweeted about it off his personal account earlier in the day.
Ah here for god sake!!!!😡😡😡😡 pic.twitter.com/3khOPeVIny
— Tomás Ó Sé (@tomas5ky) September 17, 2017
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Put this in another article, but prob more suited here. Franco Smith of Glasgow won URC coach of the year. Friend would have been my pick. Remember when I first said that some said it should be Leo with only one loss in league, not sure if they feel the same way anymore. For Glasgow run to Challange cup final was good, but its URC Coach of the season so that competition doesn’t count in the reckoning. In URC Smith made playoffs and lost at home to Munster in Quarterfinal. For me Friend took Connacht with less resources than Glasgow and a more difficult fixture list, to the playoffs. Connacht were not expected to make playoffs, and made it and HCup, and won an away playoff meaning the went better than Glasgow. Connacht really overachieved this season, Glasgow did about as expected.
@Kingshu: agree 100%
@Kingshu: Would have Friend ahead of him also. Can make an argument for Rowntree also; first season, awful start, Munster playing a better style of rugby, took down 2 long running home winning streaks and are in the final.
Bit pointless to be comparing to last season when there were still some restrictions om attendances in some of the countries.
@0UWMNglt: seems like a nonsense stat alright
I hope the 5000 munster fans get to bring the league home. ( so it won’t have far to travel next season when win it back)
The Welsh clubs are so far behind. Have they ever reached 12,000 at any game? What has to be looked at is attendances at Welsh games. If the show grounds in Galway were enlarged there would be better crowds there.
Would like to see a breakdown per union home games – Ireland, Wales, Italy, South Africa, Scotland etc. You’d have to assume the Welsh regions would have quite a low average attendance. In addition, the SA home games I have seen appear to have very low attendances. Would love to see the non knockout games in SA have greater spectatorship in the stadiums. I remember watching Super rugby back in the early 00s, the fan base in South Africa was off the charts. Bulls, Sharks, Stormers ans The Cats all hvd hihe crowds at games. Was also lucky enough to get to a few fakes down in SA in 10/11 at Newlands. Full house everytime. Place was electric. May take a few years for the SA home base to commit to the URC.
@Steve Mccarthy: apologies for typos. Thumbs like big toes
@Steve Mccarthy: on wiki, its has each clubs average URC attendance.
There was 41,000 for judgement 2023 in the mileneum. Not to shabby. Double header. Lots or rugby fans in Wales, a good portion don’t follow the weslsh regions
@Paul Cassidy: South Africa could say the same. Huge rugby following there, just a lot follow more locally than the URC it would seem. I get it, it’s a huge country, imagine getting flights to follow your “home” team.