David and Paudie Clifford have become the ninth set of brothers to make an All-Star football team in the same year but it won’t be long before there’s another Clifford on the block.
Ógie Clifford was born in September, a day after Kerry lost the All-Ireland semi-final to Tyrone and his father David says that, in experiencing the birth of his son, it was a welcome high to distract from the low of getting knocked out of the championship.
“We were delighted. Ógie was born the Sunday night after the Tyrone loss. It’s an example of the lows but then the highs you can feel from life as well but everything is going great so far thank God.”
As he picked up his third All-Star award, the Kerry forward said that the youngster is good as gold though efforts to get the left leg swinging have so far been in vein.
“It’s hard to know at this stage (if he’ll make a Kerry footballer,)” he laughed.
“I’m trying to get him to swing his left foot but that’s proving difficult at the moment!”
That shouldn’t take too long.
Meanwhile, Tyrone’s Kieran McGeary was named as the Footballer of the Year as, for the second year in a row, Oisin Mullin scooped the Young player of the Year award. In hurling it was a similar story of repeat-winners with Cian Lynch winning his second Hurler of the Year award while the gong for the best young player stays in Eoin Cody’s house in Ballyhale for the second year in a row.
The All-Star football team went along expected lines with eight Tyrone men joined by three Mayo, three Kerry and one Dub.
It was a special night for Keith Higgins as well, as adding to his four Gaelic football All-Stars, the Ballyhaunis man was named the Nicky Rackard Hurler of the Year. Offaly’s Oisin Kelly won the Christy Ring award while Westmeath’s Tommy Doyle won the Joe McDonagh Hurler of the Year.
Four Gaelic football All-Stars and now the Nicky Rackard Hurler of the Year.
Keith Higgins 👏 pic.twitter.com/FMyQ9R5Vqf
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) December 10, 2021
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