Clifford masterclass stuns Cork minors

AFTER fifteen seconds in Pairc Uí Rinn last Wednesday night it looked like we were in for a humdinger with the explosive start Cork had.

Ultimately at the end of proceedings we were talking about an accomplished display by the Kerry Minors to go with anything that we have seen over the last four years. David Clifford was central to much of what happened last week, 2-8 generating headlines on score alone but there was so much more to the Fossa native’s performance in terms of his presence in the game and his ability to seemingly win the ball with ease.

It was expected to be a dingdong affair with what was at stake, but in truth Kerry showed they were operating at a level some didn’t think they were quite at in how they went about dismantling a feared Cork side.

Chris O’Donoghue and Niall Donohoe held the fort well in defence, but midfielders Barry Mahony and Diarmuid O’Connor were assured in what was a tough battle with their opposing numbers in Mark Keane and Ryan Walsh.

Keane won the throw-in and fed the ball to Evan Murphy who blasted home the game’s first score to give Cork an ideal start. They nearly followed up with a point but Kerry had undone the damage by the 12th minute in registering 1-6 without reply. The goal came in the seventh minute as Donnachadh O’Sullivan played a great pass into Clifford for a 1-3 to 1-0 advantage.

The home crowd started to get quieter as they realised they were seeing a magnificent Kerry display and a threat in Clifford that they simply had no answer for. His second goal in the 26th minute owed much to Fiachra Clifford running right to the end line and playing the ball across the face of goal for him to fist in for a 2-8 to 1-3 advantage.

The hosts did reduce the advantage to seven at the half-time whistle, 2-9 to 1-5, but there was a sense that they would need something special after the restart if they were to change the course of proceedings.

Cillian Myers-Murray offered them some threat as a substitute with three points, but the visitors had a 2-13 to 1-7 advantage by the time Cork were awarded a penalty in the 42nd minute for a foul on Keane.

Deividas Uosis was equal to Damien Gore’s spot-kick, however, saving low to his left and the concession of a ‘45, which Evan Murphy converted.

Uosis made another fine save from Keane 10 minutes later as Cork’s frustration at the way matters were going was summed up by a black card to Jason Harrington in the 44th minute.

An injury to Donal O’Sullivan bearing down on goal as the game entered the final five minutes was the only setback as it became a question of what Clifford would finish with.

He ended up scoring more that the Rebels total on the night of 1-10, but with all Kerry’s starting forwards scoring, you would be pleased to see other options in the event of any outfit managing to put the clampers on the Minor Captain.

A bit of a lull will take hold now with matters at exam level. The Under 17 contingent will know their fate against from last night’s renewal with the Rebels in the Munster Final at Austin Stack Park but expectations are going to rise again about what another Kerry Minor team might achieve.

Clare will be their opposition again in the Munster Final, this time on neutral turf, however, with the Kingdom due to travel away for the senior decider this year wherever it may be.

David Clifford’s masterclass will not be forgotten by anyone present in Pairc Uí Rinn anytime soon however as a sixth consecutive appearance in a Munster Minor Final is in the offing for the Kingdom. KERRY: Deividas Uosis (Dingle), Ryan O’Neill (Na Gaeil), Chris O’Donoghue (Glenflesk), Cian Gammell (Killarney Legion, 0-1), Michael Potts (Dr Crokes), Eddie Horan (Scartaglin), Niall Donohoe (Firies), Barry Mahony (St Senans), Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil), Adam O’Donoghue (Castleisland Desmonds, 0-1), David Clifford (Fossa, 2-8, 3f), Donal O’Sullivan (Kilgarvan, 0-2, 1f), Fiachra Clifford (Laune Rangers, 0-1), Donnachadh O’Sullivan (Firies, 0-2), Brian Friel (Rathmore, 0-1) Subs: Jack Griffin (Dr Crokes, 0-1) for Friel, Michael Slattery (Austin Stacks) for Donnachadh O’Sullivan, Ciaran O’Reilly (do) for Fiachra Clifford, Pa Warren (Gneeveguilla) for Donal O’Sullivan, Sean O’Leary (Kilcummin) for Ryan O’Neill and Michael O’Leary (Renard) for Gammell

CORK: Kevin McMahon, Lorcan Finn, William Ronan, Dylan Ward, Jason Harrington, Peter O’Driscoll, Jack McCarthy, Mark Keane (0-1), Ryan Walsh, Evan Murphy (1-2, 1f), Colm O’Callaghan, Jack Murphy, Mark Cronin, Damien Gore (0-4, 2f), Cathail O’Mahony Subs: Cillian Myers-Murray (0-3) for O’Mahony, Colm Barrett for Jack Murphy, Daniel O’Mahony for Ronan, Shane Hickey for Walsh, Sean Meehan for McCarthy and Rory O’Driscoll for Harrington (Black Card).

REFEREE: Alan Kissane (Waterford)