At 16 years of age, David Clifford was compared with Maurice Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald. You couldn’t say his name around the Kingdom without forcing a Kerry native to genuflect. You couldn’t whisper his legend around the rest of the island without sending a shiver down any man’s spine.
You’d never get three steps into an all-time greatest list – the best player, the best score, the most successful footballer – without the name Maurice Fitzgerald popping up and unanimous agreement and respect following it.
And yet, at just 16, after he hit the most special 2-5 at Croke Park – in one of the finest performances at headquarters – to deliver Hogan Cup glory to St. Brendan’s, the Killarney school’s manager spoke David Clifford and Fitzgerald in the same breath.
“David Clifford reminds me every day at training of no-one else but Maurice Fitzgerald. I can see it in him.”
Those were the words of Gary McGrath and it’d take a brave man to argue with him.
David Clifford is having a once-in-a-lifetime game. 2-5 for the Kerry man as St. Brendan's win the Hogan Cup 💪👊 pic.twitter.com/6UfFuHZyJA
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 2, 2016
The difference between David Clifford and other minors – I suppose the difference between Kerry and other counties – is that they can win by 22 points in an All-Ireland semi-final and think nothing of it. Clifford can kick 0-8 at Croke Park and think this is not what he came for.
For Kerry, and for the like of David Clifford, this was just a step on the road. Unless there’s an All-Ireland medal to take home, everything is just a step. For God’s sake, sometimes Kerry people see an All-Ireland title as a step.
But the minors of the south west county stormed into the under-18 decider with a frighteningly effortless win over Kildare. 2-26 to 0-10 was the ruthless full time score from Sunday’s semi clash and it means the Kingdom set up a meeting with Galway on the third Sunday of September. They go there led on the muscle-filled back of David Clifford.
David Clifford passes into Croke Park legend as breathtaking late show steals Hogan Cup glory for St. Brendan's https://t.co/pvmg8H1hl2
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) April 3, 2016
The almost-iconic (already) number 13 came into this game with the Lilywhites and it’s not like they didn’t know about his talent. Or his power. Or his energy and brain. But how do you solve a problem like David Clifford?
It didn’t matter what sort of ball that was kicked in his direction, it seemed like he was underneath and behind every single one of them. When he was out in front, he had managed to manoeuvre 10 yards of space for himself. When he was under a high ball, he had managed to get himself five feet above the rest of them. Even when he was surrounded by white jerseys, it was like he was seeing everything in slow motion and had all the time and space in the world to scan the vicinity, pick a pass or take a half inch to slot between the posts.
Every time he did it, the Kildare backs would sort of look at each other as if to say, “Well what else can we do?”
There was nothing they could do in truth. David Clifford is going right to the very top. He has everything. He’s strong, he’s fast, his movement is non bloody stop. His accuracy is ridiculous, his courage to take on the big shot, the big run, the audacious pass is simply thrilling and he uses both feet so comfortably as if the rest of us are mugs for limiting ourselves with one for so long.
Eight points, seven from play and they weren’t even sniffed at by the Kerry corner forward. As if he could do more. As if a semi-final was not important. It was only a step.
He was interviewed afterwards, given the man of the match trophy and he was almost embarrassed to be there in front of the cameras. He mentioned Dara Moynihan, Sean O’Shea and he deflected his own feats. He didn’t really see them as feats – just a step to an All-Ireland final.
When David Clifford’s career is done with, he won’t be looking back at this game as the best of it. And, I’ll tell you what, if they go on to win the All-Ireland in September, that won’t even define him. That’ll only be a step to where this man is going.
The production line in Kerry is pumping again. As if it ever stopped.
Minor players are embarking on their adult lives, many are about to finish school and start college, they have hopes and dreams and ambitions, but for this one moment in time, the Electric Ireland Minor Championships is the major thing in their lives. Follow the conversation at #GAAThisIsMajor.
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