Eight Gaelic football championship observations: David Clifford has mastered sport's new hat-trick

The introduction of the two-pointer to Gaelic football means players can now score a new hat-trick: A one-pointer, two-pointer and a goal. David Clifford has already done it three times. The question now is, what do we call it?

HE’S GONE THAT WAY...: Kerry’s score machine David Clifford makes amends for an earlier miss by rounding the Tyrone keeper Niall Morgan to strike for the only goal in Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final win over Tyrone at Croke Park. Clifford finished with 1-9. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

A bounce of the ball. With the last kick of the game, Rory O’Brien went for goal with a chance to leave the sides level. Brian Byrne managed to block it, but the shot continued towards the posts. It looped over. Heartbreak.

It was a fitting finale for a fiercely dramatic Tailteann Cup decider. Kildare withstood an intense fightback. Cian Burke’s initial save was terrific, Byrne’s defensive dive was clutch. The Kildare corner-back is not one to rest on his laurels either. 24 hours later he came on for his club Naas in their Kildare SHC opener.