David Clifford showcased his extraordinary talent once again on Wednesday night.
David Clifford’s name reverberated around the Kingdom and further beyond last year on the back of some breathtaking displays for his school and his county.
The Fossa clubman supplemented his growing band of admirers with a swashbuckling performance in the Kerry-Cork Munster Minor Football semi-final on Wednesday night.
Clifford was in irrepressible form at Páirc uí Rinn, terrorising the Cork defence from start to finish. He ended his relentless evening with a scoring tally of 2-8, more than the entire Cork team managed at the Ballintemple ground.
Kerry manager Peter Keane is well aware of his prized asset’s stature and potential in the game and likened his ability to a Mercedes car when asked by Tony Leen of the Irish Examiner why he hadn’t given him a rest, with the game apparently out of Cork’s reach.
“If you’ve a Merc, do you put it in the garage?” the Cahersiveen native asked
Clifford wasn’t the only member of the Kerry side resembling a sports car at full throttle on Wednesday night, however, with this dismantling of Cork backing up their remarkable minor success of recent years with their 20th consecutive win at the grade.
It’ll take a brave man to bet against them winning their fourth consecutive All-Ireland.
Many in the Kingdom feel that if they can keep a hold of Clifford, he has every chance of joining the greats of Kerry football.
He is being mentioned as the next generation’s answer to Seamus Moynihan, to Pat Spillane and to Colm Cooper – the latter a man who emphasised the threat posed by the AFL, but also the possibility that he would hang around with his family rooted in the GAA.
“It’s only natural that the Australians would come in for Ireland’s top players, which there’s no doubt David is,” said the Gooch.
“It’s going to be difficult to hold on but what I do know he’s from a massive GAA background, a massive GAA family. I don’t know what his intentions are.
“The expectation is going to be difficult for him to manage and for his coaches to manage because he’s set a high benchmark for himself. You said he was a bit like me when I was younger – I certainly wasn’t six foot and built like he is. He could be anything, the future is so bright for him. But as we know, that has been the case for so many young players coming through. Sometimes it doesn’t always work out,” added Cooper.
Clifford has every desired ability, skill and trait in the game. He is tall, strong and fast. His football skills show no limits and his leadership and mental toughness are proven.
His 2016 Hogan Cup Final display with his school St Brendan’s embodied each and every one of these traits. But in truth, Clifford has given plenty more examples of his class.
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
He is a man playing against boys.
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