Clifford brothers push Fossa over the line to set up final clash with neighbours Listry 

LEADING FROM THE FRONT: Paudie Clifford, left, and David Clifford. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

David Clifford lost only two games this year, one with UL in the Sigerson Cup Final and the other with his club Fossa in the group stages of the Premier Junior Club Championship back in August.

That was against next door neighbours Listry and now he will face the same opposition in the final on Saturday next at 2pm in Fitzgerald Stadium.

In the meantime he has amassed an impressive collection of medals and awards including the clean sweep with Kerry.

McGrath Cup, League and Championship, a fourth All-Star at twenty three, Footballer of the Year, a second Kerry SFC medal with East Kerry and he is now on the cusp of a county title win with his club.

Fossa needed him and older brother Paudie, and the help of a wasteful Ardfert side to make the final on a 0-14 to 1-10 in deplorable conditions at Castleisland.

Fossa had the strong wind and rain to their backs in the opening half and raced 0-5 to 0-0 in front at the end of the opening quarter.

Clifford contributed three of his 0-9 game-high haul in this period, one from a forty five, another from a free near the touchline and one from play after an assist from brother Paudie.

Tadgh O’Shea and a fine effort from wing back Ruairi Doyle also found the target as veteran Ardfert great John Egan should have found the Fossa net.

Ardfert came more into the game and Nathan O’Driscoll opened their account from a free but the younger Clifford was back to kick an outrageous point as Ardfert started to kick wides.

O’Driscoll pointed a free and then there was a crucial moment in the 25th minute, when Michael Leane was hauled down for a penalty and Daithi Griffin expertly converted it.

The Clifford brothers added three points, two to David and one from Paudie as Fossa retired 0-9 to 1-3 ahead.

Fossa looked to have secured the tie early in the second half with points from the same duo to move five clear.

Ardfert took over at the midfield with Eoghan McElligott and Rob Monahan dominating but despite Monahan kicking two and McElligott one, they kicked kicked nine second half wides allowing Fossa off the hook.

Nathan O’Driscoll and Daithi Griffin closed the gap to a point 0-13 to 1-9 but who else but David Clifford converted a late insurance point.

Listry looked in trouble in the opening half against Ballymacelligott when they trailed by seven points, but in the space of about fifteen minutes they’d turned that into a seven point lead.

Listry showed tremendous battling qualities to dominate the second half and win on 2-11 to 1-8 score-line.

Ballymac started well with points from Dónal Daly and Vinny Horan in the opening ten or eleven minutes, and further points from Aidan Breen (a pair of frees) had them four clear by the twenty minute mark.

A goal on 22 minutes from Darragh Broderick seemed to have them well set up.

A seven-point advantage, up a man, the breeze blowing strongly at their backs.

And, yet, it was Listry who took advantage with frees from Joe Clifford, Aaron O’Shea and Seán Lehane to leave it 1-4 to 0-3 at the break.

Listry with a ‘45 from keeper Dave Carroll two minutes into the second half, carried on where they left off.

Two minutes after that again the first of O’Shea’s two goals arrived, a classy finish that caught the Ballymac defence off guard.

His second goal, two minutes later, was the score of the game.

That pushed the East Kerry outfit 2-4 to 1-4 clear. Another four points on the spin from O’Shea, a pair of beauties from Ronan Buckley and a sweetly struck effort from Gary O’Sullivan completed the turnaround and a fourteen points swing.

Adding spice to the final, Marc O’Se will be in the Listry corner while Eamonn Fitzmaurice is part of Fossa’s management team.