Clifford guides patient East Kerry past Rathmore and into another final

With brother Paudie prominent, it was David Clifford's first-half goal which helped East Kerry take control en route to a six-point win

LOCKED IN: David Clifford scored 1-3 for East Kerry Photo: Don MacMonagle

Kerry SFC semi-final: East Kerry 1-16 Rathmore 1-10 

Exhibiting fair a degree of patience, East Kerry booked their place in a Kerry SFC final for the fourth time in five years after defeating All-Ireland Intermediate Club champions Rathmore by six points in the finish.

Rathmore didn’t stand back from their former team-mates in the competition last year, best emphasised by a change of jersey for Fionn Holohan in his personal duel with Paudie Clifford as there was plenty of verbals between the pair throughout. 

Long stretches of mass defending in the first period were pierced by points from inter-county team-mates Shane Ryan and the Clifford brothers. All that separated both sides at half-time was David Clifford’s 26th minute goal.

Rathmore were working hard to keep him out but brother Paudie and Patrick D’Arcy combined to put him through for a low finish that put the defending champions 1-4 to 0-3 ahead at that stage. Their opponents rallied for the remainder of the first period, preventing them from slipping away as Shane Ryan fisted over their fourth point to make it 1-4 to 0-4 at the break. 

Paul Murphy’s absence (and maybe Chrissy Spiers more so in the forward area of the pitch) was telling in Rathmore not having enough belief to try and attack East Kerry as the district side seemed content to be patient in the first period and save energy for later on.

Darragh Roche became the first player other than the Cliffords to score for East Kerry in the 34th minute as Patrick D’Arcy was the beneficiary of some great work in advance by David Clifford for their next score. By the three-quarter stage Rathmore had still not added to their total, nearly punishing a mistake from East Kerry goalkeeper Brian Kelly was the closest they came until substitute Mark Reen finally ended their drought in the 47th minute.

The score at that stage was 1-9 to 0-5 as East Kerry kept the scoreboard ticking over, David Clifford scoring only one second-half point as they ran their bench in the final 10 minutes. 

Brendan O’Keeffe scored a good consolation goal for Rathmore near the end as Andrew Moynihan tested Brian Kelly with another effort before the final whistle. Rathmore certainly didn’t disgrace themselves in keeping the final scoreline respectable but it is all about East Kerry seeking an 11th title overall in the Kingdom in two weeks time.

It will be the third time in four years they will face Mid Kerry in the county showpiece on the first Sunday in November.

Scorers for East Kerry: D Clifford (1-3, 1f), P Clifford and D Roche (f) (0-4 each), P D’Arcy, D O’Sullivan (m), K Murphy, R Buckley and F Murphy (0-1) 

Scorers for Rathmore: S Ryan (0-6, 4f, 1m). B O’Keeffe (1-1), M Reen, M Ryan and J Darmody (0-1 each) 

East Kerry: B Kelly (Legion); C Lynch (Glenflesk), C O’Leary (Kilcummin), D O’Callaghan (do), N Donohoe (Firies), J Sherwood (do), D O’Brien (Glenflesk); K Murphy (Kilcummin), R Buckley (Listry); D Lyne (Legion), P Clifford (Fossa), P D’Arcy (Glenflesk); D Clifford (Fossa), D Roche (Glenflesk), D O’Sullivan (Kilgarvan) Subs: L Crowley (Glenflesk) for P D’Arcy, E O’Shea (Fossa) for D O’Sullivan, C Gammell (Legion) for D O’Callaghan (both 50), F Murphy (Legion) for K Murphy (52), O Fitzgerald for C O’Leary (56) 

Rathmore: W Casey; C Dineen, A Dineen, TJ Friel; B Friel, D Murphy, F Holohan; M Ryan, C Ryan; J Mahony, B O’Keeffe, J Darmody; J Moynihan, S Ryan, A Moynihan Subs: M Reen for J Mahony (41), F Murphy for J Moynihan (52), C O’Connor for F Holohan (60 +1) 

Referee: P Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys)