Jack O'Connor: David Clifford was doing things I’d never seen him do before

Despite an impressive first-half performance stats-wise, it was Clifford's second-half display that his manager enjoyed more.

INCREDIBLE: Kerry’s David Clifford kicks a point. Pic Credit ©INPHO/James Crombie

In the opening half of Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final, David Clifford kicked two points from play, was fouled for a pair of frees he himself converted, and then split the posts for a fifth time with an injury-time mark. And yet it was his second 35 minutes that Jack O’Connor wanted to talk about.

Now, Jack wasn’t inferring that David’s first half wasn’t up to scratch. How could he argue such given the numbers outlined above.

It was more a case of what Clifford did away from the scoring zone as Kerry reeled in and overtook the Ulster champions so impressed the manager.

“An incredible second-half performance,” said Jack. “The way he played in the second half, it was like he was willing the team to get over the line.

“It was just the fact that he came out the field in the last quarter of an hour, he was back in his own full-back line, and he was just doing things that I’d never seen him doing before - winning ball inside in his own square.

“It was almost like he said, ‘whatever happens, we are not going to be beaten today’. This is a man that’s playing under pressure with all the expectation on him - double, triple marked, and he still finds a way, so hats off to him. What a great performance.”

Kerry's David Clifford celebrates after scoring a point late in the game. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

The one message Jack was at pains to relay to his players in that second period was to press more aggressively on Odhran Lynch’s restart.

In the first half, Kerry won only one of 13 opposition kick-outs. Upon the change of ends, Derry enjoyed 100% retention right up to the 66th minute.

The restart after Seán O’Shea’s free that brought the deficit back to the minimum was the first of three consecutive restarts that Lynch kicked long and Derry lost. The three plays ended with three Kerry points. When Lynch eventually reverted back to going short on 69 minutes, his team were two in arrears.

“We had to win a couple of his kick-outs – that was the only way we were going to get momentum. Because if Derry got it off short, you won’t see that ball again for three-four minutes," the manager continued.

“So that’s what we were trying to do. Get them to make it a contest. I remember that one that went out high over the midfield and Tadhg Morley won it; I felt at that stage the tide was starting to turn.”

A tide that for so long had flown in the other direction.

“We made plenty of mistakes. We forced it a bit, at times. I remember a few balls kicked in overshot the runway and went harmlessly wide. But I think that was coming from the fact Derry were a very tough nut to crack.

“So hats off to our fellas, they found a way.”

Restarts, resilience, and remarkable Clifford. The last piece of this semi-final jigsaw were the Kingdom reserves.

Across their three All-Ireland group games, Kerry subs contributed the sum total of 0-0. In 35 second-half minutes, Stephen O’Brien forced two turnovers, was fouled for a converted free, and kicked the 68th minute point to put the All-Ireland champions in front for the first time since the 22nd minute.

“All the subs contributed. Brian Ó Beaglaíoch gave us great momentum coming out of defence.

“Stephen kicked a great score with his left. I wasn't expecting that one to go over, but it was a critical score and just gave us a bit of a foothold that allowed us to drop back a bit and play on the break for the last five minutes.”