Clifford-inspired Fossa weather O'Rahilly’s storm to make semi final

Inercounty stars David and Paudie Cliffford helped last year's beaten finalists to a four-point win. 

MAIN MAN: David Clifford of Fossa helped his side to a last four spot. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Kerry IFC quarter-final: Fossa 1-14 Kerins O’Rahillys 0-13 

Last year’s beaten finalists Fossa marched into the semi-final stage of the Kerry Intermediate Championship as they had to dig deep in the closing stages to overcome Kerins O'Rahillys. 

Fossa shot out of the traps the better and never lost their early lead in the tie.

Eoin Talbot’s goal in the opening quarter set the tone and as David and Paudie Cliffford once again delivered inspired showings, Fossa left four-point winners. Rahillys trailed 1-8 to 0-4 at the break and left far too much work to do in the second period.

Jack Savage kicked nine points, but even with the former Kerry star pulling the strings it was not enough. Shane O’Sullivan denied Tomás Kennedy and Tommy Walsh goal chances in the second half, as Rahilly’s will spend a second year in the Intermediate grade. Fossa were well deserved of the result as they continue to make a statement in the competition.

Fossa started on top as Paudie Clifford waved the first white flag in the sixth minute. Brother David doubled the lead in the tenth minute. It was all the East Kerry side in the opening quarter and further scores from David Cliffrd, Emmett O’Shea and a goal from Eoin Talbot made it 1-4 to no score by quarters end.

Tomás Kennedy got Rahillys on the board in the 16th minute with a badly needed score. Rahillys through former Kerry player Jack Savage cut the gap to five points in the 21st minute, but efforts from O’Shea, Paudie Clifford and Harry Buckley furthered the Fossa lead, as they took a 1-8 to 0-4 advantage to the dressing rooms.

Whatever was said at the break fueled Rahillys with Tommy Walsh summoned from the bench at the interval. Savage and Kennedy added the opening four scores to give the Strand Road faithful some momentum. Dan O’Keeffe grabbed the opening score of the half for Fossa, however it was goalkeeper Shane O’Sullivan who took the plaudits denying Kennedy from close range.

David Clifford curled over a free in the 42nd minute to put Fossa ahead by five, Cormac Coffey immediately replied for Rahillys. Clifford and Savage exchanged scores as Fossa were ahead 1-11 to 0-10 by the 47th minute. Kerins O’Rahillys produced a stunning fightback but Fossa extinguished that inside the final ten minutes when Cian O’Shea fired two points over in succession before Rian Colleran pulled Fossa clear by seven in the 57th minute.

Savage added a brace of late frees but they could not get the all important goal in the tie and as the red mist descended, Fossa kept their heads cool and march into the semi-finals.

Scorers for Fossa: D Clifford 0-5, (2fs), E Talbott 1-0, P Clifford, Emmett O’Shea (1f), Cian O’Shea 0-2 each, H Buckley, D O’Keeffe, R Colleran 0-1 each 

Scorers for Kerins O’Rahillys: J Savage 0-9 (6fs), T Kennedy 0-2, C Coffey, D O’Connor 0-1 each 

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

Subs: Ruairi Doyle for O’Keeffe, D Ryan for H Buckley (Both 53) 

KERINS O’RAHILLYS: R O'Connor; D McElligott, R O'Callaghan, D Buckley; B Hanafin, J Foley, C Coffey; D Moran, T Hoare; BJ Keane, S McElligott, J Savage; D Bowler, G Dillane, T Kennedy Subs: D O’Connor for G Dillane, T Walsh for D Bowler (both h/t), Con Barrett for S McElligott (47) Referee : Billy O’Shea ( Keel)