David Clifford reveals Kerry are preparing for potential Championship penalty shootout

Kerry and Fossa star David Clifford at the launch of the SuperValu ‘Support Where You’re From’ campaign. Picture: Sportsfile

Kerry captain David Clifford and his team-mates are preparing for the possibility of a penalty shoot-out in this year’s Championship.

The knock-out nature of the competition means more would be riding on such a scenario than the provincial hurling games where there is a qualifier/quarter-final consolation prize for the losers.

Both Clifford and Kerry manager Peter Keane have confirmed players have been taking them in training and the former said: “Penalty shoot-outs have been something, I suppose.

"One massively positive thing that has come from all of this has been that we have been able to stream games from all around the country. There has been a few interesting penalty shoot-outs, a few goalkeepers made to look like heroes. It is something we will have to be ready for.”

Clifford, now studying a masters in PE at UL but at home, laughs that the captaincy this year has amounted to be “the admin of the players’ WhatsApp, that’s about it.”

But he said there hasn’t been “a whole pile to it”.

“There are plenty of players in the Kerry dressing room who have been around a lot longer than me so I leave them to it. It’s a massive honour and something I am proud of but it’s probably not changed my responsibility too much.”

Clifford gave some insight into how Kerry are training safely at their centre of excellence in Currans.

“You can't car pool to training which is something I probably miss the most.

"I usually travel with Paul (Murphy), Micheál Burns, and Dara Moynihan. You usually have a nice bit of craic, it isn't as enjoyable when (Manchester) United win and we have to listen to Dara. That is another story.

“When you get to training, you have no dressing rooms, no showers after training, temperature checks, you have to fill out your questionnaire during the day. It is different but everyone understands the responsibility we have to stay safe and what can happen if we don't.”

- This Championship season SuperValu is calling on GAA fans across the country to ‘Support Where You’re From’ by showing their incredible county passion and pride from the safety of their homes and communities. At today’s launch with ambassador David Clifford, SuperValu announced that they are on the hunt to find Ireland’s most devoted and vocal superfans to give them an opportunity to show the country what their county team means to them. Check out www.facebook.com/SuperValuIreland for more information on how you become one of ‘SuperValu’s Superfans’.