A MUNSTER FOOTBALL final in Ennis? David Clifford has ticked plenty of boxes already in his Kerry career but that would be a new and novel one for him if it comes to pass.

Opponents Clare are reportedly pushing to host the 7 May provincial decider and while it would give the Banner a clear advantage, Kingdom captain Clifford said he wouldn’t be particularly bothered.

“I don’t think it will be our decision where the game is played, first of all. We’ll be happy enough to play wherever they decide.”

It’s understood that the Munster Council are set to meet tomorrow to decide on the venue. Kerry were at home in Killarney for each of their last two wins, in 2021 and 2022.

“A Munster final at home in Killarney is a huge occasion,” said Clifford. “Then, we played Munster finals in Pairc Ui Chaoimh as well, and they were huge occasions.

“We’re lucky in the sense that the Kerry supporters are going to follow us wherever we go. We’ll be looking forward to it.”

Kerry have consistently shattered Clare’s provincial ambitions during Collins’ near 10-year reign though the teams have appeared more evenly matched when playing in Ennis.

“I played in 2019 in Ennis,” said Clifford, referencing a game they won by six points.

“We’ve always had good battles with them. We’ve been lucky enough to get goals in a lot of those games coming down the stretch. We expect it to be a very tough task. We’re well aware of the dangers that they bring.”

Aside from the Clare question, Clifford was asked to comment on a range of issues at what was a rare media outing —  on behalf of Championship sponsors SuperValu — for the 24-year-old phenomenon.

One of those issues related to the low number of inter-county players, just 10%, who are aware of an LGBTQ+ team-mate in their dressing-room.

Clifford said that as far as he is concerned, GAA dressing-rooms are welcoming environments for all.

“You’d like to hope so,” he said.

“I’ll just take my own situation with Fossa and Kerry. You’d feel like you are so close to your teammates, and get on so well with them, that you’d like to be able to support them in whatever comes their way in life, 100%. I’d be disappointed if a teammate felt like it was a place where they could not (come out).”

On football matters, Clifford said one of Kerry’s big challenges at the moment is to improve their ‘shooting efficiency’. They scored 25 points against Tipperary last weekend though didn’t score any goals. He agreed that it makes a change from commentators focusing on their apparent defensive weaknesses.

“We would have put a big focus on our defensive structure over the last few years,” he said.

“Even moreso, putting confidence into the backs so that they realise how good they are, and being able to defend in one versus one situations, how good they are at that. Our defence is our backbone and they’ve become nearly our biggest attacking threat as well.”

Clifford himself is fresh off a punishing winter campaign, with Fossa making it all the way to the All-Ireland junior club final at Croke Park. The previous spring he was a Sigerson Cup finalist with UL. He said that fatigue isn’t a problem though and described Kerry’s recent warm weather training camp in Portugal as hugely beneficial.

“To be able to spend that much time together as a group, it was very enjoyable,” said the 24-year-old.

“Obviously very tough on the body and stuff like that, having to do so many sessions on consecutive days is probably something you wouldn’t be used to.

“But no, very, very enjoyable and it was a chance for us to spend a bit of time together and to just slow things down a small bit and even spend more time on the tactical side of the game and stuff like that.”

Life away from football has taken Clifford into the role of schoolteacher at his old secondary school St Brendan’s. Part of the gig is coaching the first-year football team.

He is a PE teacher and says he plays various other sports with them, like Olympic handball, badminton and even ultimate frisbee.

“We did bits of that when I was in college in Tralee myself, it’s a good sport to be fair,” he smiled.

Even when he’s not at school, schoolkids seem to gravitate towards him with hoards hunting him down for autographs after club matches last winter.

“I was one of those myself, I was blessed when I was growing up that Kerry were in All-Irelands something like nine out of 10 years in a row,” he said.

“I remember going in myself to watch Kerry training. And whenever the cup would come to the school, it was always a day that stood out.

“With the likes of the Gooch, Declan O’Sullivan, Kieran Donaghy, we were blessed in Kerry at the time.”

David Clifford was speaking at the launch of SuperValu’s sponsorship of the All-Ireland senior football championship and this year’s #CommunityIncludesEveryone campaign.