Kerry IFC: No joy for Cliffords as Beaufort hold off Fossa fightback

FELL SHORT: Fossa brothers David and Paudie Clifford pass to each other. Pic: : Don MacMonagle

Kerry IFC: Beaufort 0-14 Fossa 1-10 

Despite nearly pulling off a great comeback from an eight-point deficit, it was defeat for last year’s Kerry Intermediate runners-up Fossa and the Clifford brothers against neighbours Beaufort.

Paudie Clifford put in a finish for the Fossa goal in the 55th minute that would be more associated with his brother David but it was a frustrating afternoon for the two-time Footballer of the Year.

David was restricted to four frees in terms of his scoring total. 

Defeat would have been a cruel result on Beaufort though, having only trailed to the opening score of the game.

Although Fossa had three goal chances in the first-half, it was Beaufort who were more efficient in taking their scores as they went into an 0-8 to 0-2 lead at the end of the first-half. 

David Clifford scored Fossa’s only two points of the first-half inside the opening nine minutes as Beaufort hit six in succession, giving them a deserved advantage at the break.

Darragh O’Connor and Fergal Hallissey scored a brace each for the Mid Kerry side who had their defence as well as goalkeeper Sean Coffey to thank for being vigilant to a number of chances in keeping Clifford and the O’Shea brothers Emmet and Cian out. 

Six different players had scored for Beaufort in the opening period and they moved into a lead of 0-10 to 0-2 three minutes into the second-half.

Fossa managed to claw some scores back to reduce the deficit to 0-12 to 0-9 after 49 minutes, but it looked like being game over for them four minutes later when their goalkeeper Shane O’Sullivan was penalised for a leg block and a penalty was awarded. 

He saved well from Ronan Murphy. From their next attack, Harry Buckley played Paudie Clifford in and the Kerry captain fired home to level proceedings.

Beaufort didn’t wilt, however. A Sean O’Brien 45 and a Ciaran Kennedy effort were enough to cancel out a David Clifford effort in between. 

Fintan Coffey put a potential Fossa equaliser wide in injury time as it was the 2020 and 2021 runners-up who struck first blood in this group.

Scorers for Beaufort: C Kennedy and F Hallissey (2f, 1’45’) (0-3 each), D O’Connor, J O’Connor and L Carey (0-2 each), M Breen and S O’Brien (‘45’) (0-1 each).

Scorers for Fossa: P Clifford (1-2, 1f), D Clifford (0-4, 4f), E O’Shea (0-2, 2f), C O’Shea and M O’Dwyer (0-1 each). 

Beaufort: S Coffey; G Hartnett, S Kelliher, K O’Sullivan; E Coffey, N Breen, S O’Brien; R Murphy, M Breen; D O’Connor, M Neary, C Kennedy; L Carey, J O’Connor, F Hallissey. 

Subs: P Doona for F Hallissey (51), J Coffey for K O’Sullivan (53), J O’Sullivan for M Neary (57). 

Fossa: S O’Sullivan; D O’Connell, B Myers, S Buckley; R Colleran, K O’Sullivan, D O’Keeffe; C O’Shea, P Sheehan; H Buckley, M Rennie, D Ryan: P Clifford, D Clifford, E O’Shea.

Subs: M O’Dwyer for D Ryan (H/T), F Coffey for S Buckley (42).

Referee: JM Fitzgerald (Abbeydorney)