Clifford magic not enough as Milltown-Castlemaine edge out Fossa in a thriller

There were 12 points from the Footballer of the Year but it is Milltown-Castlemaine who will play senior football next year

19 November 2023; Milltown-Castlemaine supporters and players celebrate after the Kerry County Intermediate Football Championship Final match between Fossa and Milltown/Castlemaine at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Kerry IFC Final: Fossa 0-18 Milltown-Castlemaine 2-13 

A triumph. In Tralee the terms were simple. The general effectiveness of a superb unit versus the sensational genius of two of the country’s best forwards. It produced a magnificent intermediate final, 12 points from the Footballer of the Year and a one-point victory for Milltown-Castlemaine.

The finish was frantic. One down, Fossa pushed hard for an equaliser. Two late wides by Clifford, one from a left-footed free, were the only misses they fired all day. A last-ditch attack looked to have yielded the necessary free, but instead the game was paused after Eoin Talbot went down and it resumed with an indirect kick.

Playing with the aid of a stiff breeze, Milltown-Castlemaine eked out a one-point buffer before the turnaround. Éanna O’Connor gave a clinic of long-range set-piece shooting, setting the ball on course and allowing the wind to do the rest for five first-half points including one monster free from just inside the 65-metre line.

O’Connor set the tone for Mark Bourke’s outfit from the throw-in, immediately driving a long ball to the edge of the square for captain Cathal Moriarty to kick the opener. Their inability to make the most of the conditions kept the early exchanges close. They clipped six wides, hit the post once and dropped two into Shane O’Sullivan’s hands during that opening period while Fossa were inaccurate with one single shot that dropped short.

Any time they threatened to pull further ahead, the almighty kick came from the Clifford brothers to close the gap. David had Pa Wrenn for company with Donal Kelliher sweeping in front of him. Gavin McKenna tracked Paudie all over. Three down after ten minutes, Paudie picked out his brother with a gorgeous kick for their opening score from play.

Clifford the elder followed that up with his one point, capitalising on a turnover to burst forward from deep in his own half. Those familiar driving runs threatened to destroy Milltown/Castlemaine’s defence. He was fouled by a scrambling Kieran O’Carroll for a tap over free and earned a penalty soon after only for referee Brendan Griffin to overturn the decision after consulting with his umpires.

From the resulting throw-up, Paudie won the break and rifled a shot into the bottom corner. Again, it was pulled back, the whistle having sounded just before for an infringement.

Clifford and Emmett O’Shea combined early in the second half to push Fossa in front, but this was the ultimate highwire act in every respect. A ferocious press on Cormac Leane’s kickout was eventually bypassed and a sprint from Gavin Horan sent the outstanding Brendan Casey away. Milltown-Castlemaine had what they wanted, a green flag aloft.

Somehow, Fossa found something to fire back. An aimless Emmett O’Shea punt was absurdly claimed by an airborne David Clifford for the equalising mark. He duly converted the chance. The five-time All-Star subsequently came on the loop and cut back for a pinpoint right-footed effort to make the margin one.

David Clifford of Fossa during the Kerry County Intermediate Football Championship Final match between Fossa and Milltown/Castlemaine at Austin Stack Park in Tralee, Kerry. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Then came the killer. Sitting in the stand, Jack O’Connor had double cause for delight. His son would go on to be named Man of the Match and in Cillian Burke he has a fine middle third prospect. It was the U20 Munster champion’s powerful burst that broke Fossa’s challenge, with Casey once again perfectly placed to benefit as he waited at the edge of the small square and swept past O’Sullivan.

Never was sport’s capability for cruelty better summarised than the final agonising sixty seconds. In this game, inches separate joy and despair. Having been awesome for an hour, in the 64th minute David Clifford had exactly what he wanted. A free that he won himself on the 13-metre line, a hoop inside the sideline on his left foot. The shot trailed off outside the far post.

When the final whistle sounded, he made for the tunnel with his head in his hands. Milltown-Castlemaine head for Cill na Martra for the Munster Club IFC semi-final.

Scorers for Fossa: David Clifford 0-12 (5 frees, 1 mark), Emmett O’Shea 0-3 (1 free), Paudie Clifford 0-2, Harry Buckley 0-1.

Scorers for Milltown-Castlemaine: Éanna O’Connor 0-8 (3 frees, 1 45), Brendan Casey 2-1, Jonathon O’Sullivan 0-2, Cathal Moriarty 0-1, Gavin McKenna 0-1.

Fossa: S O’Sullivan; D O’Connell, C McCarthy, B Myers; R Colleran, P Sheehan, R Doyle; E Talbot, M Rennie; H Buckley, P Clifford, C O’Shea; D Clifford, E O’Shea (C), T O’Shea.

Subs: S Buckley for Myers (24), F Coffey for T O’Shea (43), D O’Keeffe for Colleran (53).

Milltown-Castlemaine: C Leane; G McKenna, P Wrenn, A Kelliher; K O’Carroll, D Roche, D Kelliher; D Denney, G Horan; B Casey, C Burke, D O’Neill; C Moriarty (C), É O’Connor, J Flynn.

Subs: K McMcKenna for Flynn (half-time), J O’Sullivan for Kelliher (41), S Hogan for Dennehy (53), D Kelliher for Horan (60). f Referee: B Griffin (Clounmacon)