Paudie Clifford eager to join Kerry’s indispensables

Sat, 10 Jul, 2021 - 10:49

John O’Dowd

When Peter Keane and his selectors sat down to finalise the team selection for tonight’s Munster SFC semi-final against defending champions Tipperary at Semple Stadium (7pm), it wouldn’t have taken them long to pencil in the first two names in their star-studded forward line.

Provided David Clifford had fully recovered from the muscle injury that he picked up in the dying stages of the comprehensive victory over Clare in Killarney two weeks ago, the Fossa sensation and the equally precocious Sean O’Shea would obviously remain automatic picks.

That won’t surprise anybody but, as an example of how quickly and impressively he has adapted to senior inter-county football, the Kingdom management wouldn’t have had a moment’s hesitation in adding in Paudie Clifford as the next component in their starting attacking sextet.

A pivotal fulcrum of the East Kerry side that have annexed the last two county championships, and a former All-Ireland junior medal-winner, the elder of the Clifford brothers was drafted into the senior fold for the 2020 season but, ravaged by niggling injuries, he only made two late substitute cameos, including in the last-gasp defeat at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last November that stunned the entire county.

However, given his opportunity in the opening Allianz League game this year against Galway in Tralee, the playmaker has been a revelation. Indeed, his performances in the half-forward line have been so exhilaratingly effective, that it has enabled Kerry to move O’Shea much closer to the opposition goal, which could yet prove to be a defining positional switch before the season is out.

Getting the appreciation of your peers is the strongest endorsement that a new player can receive, and Declan O’Sullivan, one of the best centre-forwards in Kerry’s illustrious history, has been hugely impressed with what Paudie Clifford has brought to the party up to now.

“He’s been very impressive, he’s been a big addition to the team and to the squad, and I have enjoyed watching him,” he said. “He plays a similar position, he likes to carry the ball a bit, he’s a good kicker and so on, and you have to admire his mindset as well, in terms of his workrate and team ethic.

“I think we’re lucky that we’re bringing players through, and adding to the panel. He has added to the strength-in-depth that’s available to the seniors, so it can only be good for Kerry.”

O’Sullivan is currently preparing his U20 side for a difficult trip to Cork in their own Munster opener next Thursday night, but even though Kerry haven’t lifted ultimate honours at this level since 2008, the Dromid Pearses man is adamant that the conveyor belt is still progressing quite smoothly through the age groups.

“In minor, the guys are quite young, and there’s a big step up from minor to U20 level, and a big step-up from U20 to senior level, but I think you’ve seen a lot of the work that’s been carried out at minor and U20 level over the last couple of years,” he added.

“Whereas we may not have been successful at U20, the last time I was involved as a selector with Jack [O’Connor], the likes of Gavin White, Sean O’Shea, Brian O Beaglaoich, Tom O’Sullivan — those guys were playing U20 football that time, and they have all come through to senior level.

“I do think the players are coming through. Of course, we would like the best of both worlds. We would like to be successful, and also bring players through, but I think there’s a lot of hard work being done at underage level in Kerry.

“I think that’s understood at this stage, and I think the Kerry senior team at the moment is showing that.”