David Clifford hits 2-12 to inspire Fossa to famous extra-time win

A battling Listry were denied as the Clifford brothers led the way.

HERO: Man of the Match David Clifford and his brother Paudie celebrate after Fossa won the Kerry Junior Premier Club County Final. Pictures: Don MacMonagle

Kerry Junior Premier Football Championship final

Fossa 4-15 

Listry 0-22 

(after extra-time) 

When all seems lost, there is always David Clifford.

Two fantastic points on the spin from Listry centre-forward Aaron O’Shea put his side four to the good (0-17 to 1-10) entering the last seven minutes of this outstanding Kerry junior premier football championship final at Fitzgerald Stadium.

Fossa, in trouble all afternoon around the middle of the park, were now staring down the barrel of almost certain defeat. But that is never a foregone conclusion, especially when the Footballer-of-the-Year, and his brother, are on the pitch.

A pointed free from David, a punched finish to the net by Paudie from his younger sibling’s delivery, and the sides were level. Even when Micheal Keane steadied the Listry nerves with the lead point again, it was Clifford junior who saved the day for Fossa, with a stunning equalising score at the death.

David clifford👑 pic.twitter.com/QrxuqT5R3e

— Tiérnan Rush (@tiernanrushh8) November 12, 2022

In extra-time, having come back from the dead, there was only one team in it. All the momentum was with Fossa, and Listry were shell-shocked. Two booming points from play, and a coolly-converted penalty, all from David Clifford, moved Fossa four clear (3-14 to 0-19) at the 70-minute mark.

Listry certainly didn’t throw in the towel, with impressive substitute Jack Walsh razor-sharp from placed balls, but losing Ronan Buckley and Ruairi Murphy to cramp was a double blow that they, most certainly, could have done without.

David Clifford - In the immortal words of Jimmy Magee "Different Class.....Different Class"@Kerry_Official @FossaGaa pic.twitter.com/8ecHKKIpj4

— John C. O'Shea (@jcoshea) November 12, 2022

They reduced the deficit to two points, then the influential O’Shea had a rocket of a shot tipped around the post by Fossa goalkeeper Shane O’Sullivan, before -- you’ve guessed it -- David Clifford had the final say, slaloming his way through a beleaguered defence to billow the net in the dying moments.

Listry manager Marc Ó Sé during the Kerry Junior Premier Club County Final.

With a final tally of 2-12 from the man-of-the-match, not to mention the 1-2 from Paudie, the Cliffords came up trumps, yet again, on a day when there was silverware on the line. Their dream season hasn’t reached a conclusion just yet.

Scorers for Fossa: D Clifford 2-12 (0-6fs, 1-0pen), P Clifford 1-2, T O’Shea 1-0, H Buckley 0-1.

Scorers for Listry: A O’Shea 0-6 (0-5fs), J Walsh 0-5 (fs), R Buckley 0-4, R Murphy 0-2, G O’Sullivan, A Kennedy, S Lehane (f), C Bradley, M Keane 0-1 each.

FOSSA: S O’Sullivan; K McCarthy, F Coffey, B Myers; D O’Keeffe, P Clifford, R Colleran; E Talbot, P Sheehan; H Buckley, M Rennie, A Wharton; T O’Shea, D Clifford, E O’Shea.

Subs: C O’Shea for Colleran (ht), H Kelly for T O’Shea (40), D O’Connell for Wharton (53), M Dennehy for Buckley, inj (63), G Cronin for McCarthy (69), D Ryan for E O’Shea (71).

LISTRY: D Carroll; D Wrenn, P Lehane, C Ryan; D Lehane, A Kennedy, B O’Brien; J O’Leary, R Buckley; G O’Sullivan, A O’Shea, R Murphy; J Clifford, M Keane, S Lehane.

Subs: J Walsh for S Lehane (ht), C Bradley for Ryan (ht), S O’Sullivan for Clifford (53), D Clifford for Keane (71), S Giles for Buckley, inj (71), P Delee for Murphy, inj (75).

Referee: P Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys).