Tony Leen: Fossa now building solid scaffolding around their Clifford pillars

Where once Fossa’s reliance on the Kerry duo was overwhelming, a couple of high-flying seasons have seen playing smarts improve and the support acts looking for more work and starting to flourish.

RELIABLE REDS: David Clifford and his brother Paudie after last year's agonising Kerry IFC final defeat to Milltown/Castlemaine at Austin Stack Park. They are now back in the last four and looking to go one further.

FOOTBALL isn’t on the official Rose of Tralee festival program, though come to think of it, why not?

Irrespective, serendipity - or perhaps smart scheduling – presented sports-minded visitors to Tralee with a tasty menu of football championship games on the opening weekend of the Rose, not least a pair of choice IFC quarter finals in the capital town.