LAST UPDATE | 25 Jul 2022

JAMES O’DONOGHUE ONCE remarked that “you’re not a real Kerry footballer until you’ve won an All-Ireland.”

In his fifth season at senior level, David Clifford can finally say he’s joined those ranks. 

The Fossa star delivered when the pressure was highest, carding an eight-point haul to finish as Kerry’s top scorer in their first All-Ireland victory since 2014. 

“It is very obvious this is something I dreamt about all my life,” he stated.

“In January and February every year we felt like we were going to go and win the All-Ireland. I’d say this year was probably the first year that we didn’t mention winning the All-Ireland – until today, really.

“I think that was important for us. Maybe we were building it up too much in other years, I don’t know. As I say, it’s easy say you’re going to win it in January and February. Then you actually have to go and do it. it’s class. 

“You see so many sportspeople who have never won whatever – Premier Leagues, All-Irelands, whatever. There’as absolutely nothing inevitable about it. It’s tough to take the losses each year but it makes this so much sweeter.”

Were the pre-game expectations difficult to shut out?

“The build-up was okay. The two weeks is actually brilliant. The first week, you’re recovering and then week two you’re getting your few sessions in and getting ready to go. Once we were amongst the group yesterday morning, we were really at ease. Then it’s showtime I suppose.

“Look I suppose it is difficult at times to shut it out but I’ve always said it – whether it’s being from Kerry or being from Killarney people are really good at keeping you grounded.

“There’s footballers everywhere down through the generations and there’s always someone who has done more than you, and obviously a lot more than me so it’s ok down in Killarney.”

Clifford stroked over the go-ahead score from a tricky free on 66 minutes. From there, Kerry showed composure to see out the game. 

“I missed a few frees at the start in the Cork game in 2020  and I did a lot of work with Maurice Fitz last year on it trying to get into the right head space and not be too causal standing over it. So I was quite confident and went back to my routine and thankfully it went over.”

Clifford leaps for joy at the final whistle. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Having seen his team go in behind at the interval, Jack O’Connor revealed he was “quite animated” in the dressing room. Kerry shot eight wides at that stage and weren’t fully firing.

“It was general disappointment at half-time,” began Clifford, “not about anything we brought – we just weren’t ourselves. We didn’t nail our shots. We didn’t bring any sense of want or need out there.

“There was no intensity from us. So I think it was disappointment really because we knew there was so much more in us. You have those days some times but thankfully it came right for us.

“I was just saying it to a few lads there, it felt like they had really really analysed us evry well individually. In the game, a few things happened that you were going, ‘Jesus, that usually works for me.’

“So no, fair play to them – they had massive analysis done and they delivered on their gameplan. But I suppose we had an idea that if we could just enjoy ther battle for 55 minute, things would open up and we’d kick on from there. Thankfully that’s how it went.”