Tommy Walsh: Kerry attackers must target Cluxton's clean sheet streak

Four years ago, the Kingdom were the last team to find the net against Cluxton in Championship.

Fri, 28 Jul, 2023 - 00:13

John Fogarty

Stephen Cluxton’s stretch of 13 championship clean sheets shouldn’t faze Kerry, according to former star Tommy Walsh.

Four years ago, the Kingdom were the last to find the net against Dublin when Cluxton was in goal and Walsh is expecting them to break his streak.

“Any of the lads, if they get a chance one-on-one, I think they'll back themselves. Dublin have had goal chances against them but they (their opponents) didn't take them, against Monaghan, and it wasn't necessarily Cluxton making unbelievable saves, it was defenders around him getting blocks in or whatever else.

“I think, as has been the case in previous games, goals are going to be huge. If a team can get two goals versus one goal or whatever, then that team is probably going to win. If (David) Clifford or Paul Geaney gets a chance, one-on-one, I'd back them all day to take it.”

The Kerins O’Rahillys man anticipates Kerry will be discerning about when they push up on Cluxton’s kick-outs. “I think Kerry, for a few years, they had an ultra-aggressive press, where you're bringing the goalkeeper up and you can see a lot of teams are copying that now.

“You just need to be sure that the opposition isn't winning the ball on their kick-out. We tried it in '19 and there was that goal that Jack McCaffrey got, Brian Howard caught the ball and off he went, he was put through. So if you are going to do it, yes, you've taken away the short kick-out, but if he kicks it out long, you have to be able to win it. Because if you don't, it'll really hurt you on the other side.”

Walsh is leaning slightly towards hoping that Ciarán Kilkenny starts for Dublin. “If Kilkenny started and you were able to get a handle on him, that's a big blow for Dublin because not only have you stopped Kilkenny but you've taken a huge impact off the bench.

“If I was the Kerry management, would I prefer him to start? It's a hard one. It's very difficult to call but I wouldn't like to see the game being level and Kilkenny and the other lads that are there being streamed off the bench with 15, 20 minutes to go because that's going to cause Kerry a lot of problems.

“Last year in the semi-final, Kerry were up about six points and needed that cushion because Dublin were coming at the very end of the game and it took that Seán O'Shea bit of absolute magic to get Kerry over the line. Dublin probably had the momentum at that stage. It may work out similar. Kerry hopefully get a fast start, the forwards are playing well, they're winning midfield, getting the ball in. At that stage, you're really asking a lot of the Dublin subs if they have to turn it around.”

* Allianz ambassador Tommy Walsh was speaking ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC final. New championship sponsors Allianz have been showcasing the championship's all-encompassing nature and its direct connection to the Allianz Leagues by encouraging fans, coaches, volunteers and players to ‘Write Their Own Story’.