THE LAST TIME Galway played Kerry in championship football, it ended in a three-point victory. A 53-year wait ceased in 2018. Before then, they hadn’t beaten the Kingdom since the 1965 All-Ireland final.
Review the game log and it is a familiar ordeal: David Clifford was sensational, finishing with 1-5. His support cast failed to fire. 11 players who featured for Kerry during that disappointing Super 8s tie saw action during their semi-final win over Dublin yesterday. Yet they have since made one seismic addition.
One week after that 2018 game, the same two counties featured in the All-Ireland junior final at Cusack Park. After seven minutes, Kerry’s centre forward took off on an incredible run from the 45-metre line and buried a goal past Maghnus Breatnach. Paudie Clifford wasn’t even picked on the junior squad in 2017. Come Sunday, he was awarded RTÉ’s Man of the Match after a boundlessly battling semi-final performance.
In the aftermath of their 2019 All-Ireland loss, Clifford the elder was one of East Kerry’s stand-out performers in the club championship. He was called into the senior panel that winter.
Against Dublin, he finished with 28 possessions, 0-2 from two shots and four assists. He won kick-outs. He was a kick pass option and a capable kick pass deliver. He tracked runners going one way and broke forward with much-needed pace seconds later.
“It was a rollercoaster. Unbelievable. I thought we’d given it away,” the Fossa man said post-match.
“We know Dublin, what they are made of. You just have to put them away when you have the chance.”
Clifford was responsible for tracking Lee Gannon when the corner-back drove forward to kick Dublin’s first score. When David Moran collected a short kick-out and immediately looked up minutes later, he found Clifford. So it continued. Their number 13 was an ever-willing option.
Embedded on every positive attack. Hard support line off Diarmuid O’Connor, wait for defenders to commit, pop pass to Tom O’Sullivan for a score. Short kick-out to Gavin White, kick to Clifford running the 45. His pass found Sean O’Shea who linked up with David Clifford for a point.
When Sean Bolger’s inaccurate handpass went to ground, he was there again to sweep up and break forward. At various points in the game, he was the willing runner sent to follow any one of the Dublin full-back line so his brother did not have to.
For Dublin’s attack before the penalty, Paudie Clifford started out inside his own 21-metre line, tracking Mick Fitzsimons. As they turned over the ball and swept up the field, his 70-metre sprint allowed Kerry to switch the play. David Clifford’s shot that rebounded off the post came after a Paudie assist.
As the ball moved up the near wing, Clifford had his hand raised on the far side offering himself as an option.
He waited until committing defenders before passing inside to David Clifford.
Clifford was asked post-match what was his role. “Feed the full-forward line,” the 2021 All-Star said. He facilitates them and protects them, retreating behind the ball so Kerry can maintain a presence up the field.
As Dessie Farrell’s outfit began to apply their third-quarter squeeze, Clifford became the safety value. Shane Ryan kicked a booming kick-out deep to their ever-reliable forward. During that crucial period, he scored two points. His first coming after a prolonged defensive effort and lunge-bursting run up the field.
He drove up the other end to kick a huge score.
It is this relentless running and heads-up play that keeps Kerry ticking. Paudie Clifford is the glue. During Jack O’Connor’s infamous Irish Examiner podcast appearance that signalled the end of his stint in Kildare, the Kerry boss was adamant about where they were losing out.
“Don’t tell me Kerry don’t have scoring forwards. I think the real issue is those middle-third players who are prepared to sacrifice their game up and down the field.”
This was the role he was destined to play. While David Clifford spent a childhood imitating Maurice Fitzgerald, Paudie looked to Declan O’Sullivan.
Fitting. Both offer priceless versatility: scorer, creator, ball-carrier, workhorse. All depending on what the occasion demands.
Against Tyrone in the 2021 semi-final, he was well marshalled by Footballer of the Year candidate Conor Meyler. Even still, he perserved to score 0-2. He created chances that were missed, won frees that were wasted and ran himself into the ground.
And still they lost. What relevance has that performance this year? Plenty. While Kerry ended 13 years of pain at Dublin’s hands, they were far from flawless. Key middle-third players fluffed their lines. Shots began to drop into Evan Comerford’s hands or sale wide. Key balls were dropped.
That chink hangs over this Kerry team, even despite the significant step taken last weekend. It is one of the reasons the decider is far from a foregone conclusion. Galway have better forwards than Dublin and a better midfield than Kerry. Their challenge is mustering a scheme to limit the marvellous talent of Clifford.
A monumental task given it is not just about stopping one, but two.
