David Clifford, Michael Murphy and the burden of brilliance

David Clifford of Kerry celebrates. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

For 521 seconds, David Clifford did next to nothing. He watched five plays go by for five points. 

The problem for Donegal is that bulls are reactive animals. Sudden movements are seen as openings to attack.

Brendan McCole matched up with the two-time Footballer of the Year just as the countless match previews expected he would. 

Clifford immediately recognised the conundrum facing Donegal. Their zonal system needs to stay connected and compact. 

What will they do if he stands out wide or high beyond the arc as Kerry kick five points from five shots? 

He strolled around, he jumped out of one tackle in fear of being pinged for contact on the kickout mark, he logged a glitch in the Jim McGuinness mainframe, he directed traffic with a series of deft hand signals, all the while waiting for a chance to pounce.

He was primed to take that chance. Biology, behaviour, and environment: the major components that shape a bull's attack. As he strolled in the pre-match parade, Clifford’s predatory glare filled the Croke Park screens. Nostrils flaring, chest heaving, he looked primed. 

The 26-year-old pawed the ground and waited for an opportunity to cut loose. Caolan McColgan eventually provided it.

It is not a reasonable expectation to eradicate turnovers completely, but McColgan’s was of the costliest kind. 

Paudie Clifford picked it off inside Donegal’s half. Now they were vulnerable. Straight away, there was something different in Clifford’s demeanour. 

No longer was this the stance of a decoy. He held up two steady hands. He dropped a shoulder. 

He did that sleight-of-foot thing that makes a 6’3” man just shy of 15 stone look like a small, jinking corner forward. He collected off the onrushing Mike Breen and lined it up. His left had snapped a shot from outside the arc before McCole could get close. 

He’s doing that Clifford trademark. He’s doing untold damage. The horns storm through the china shop.

Kerry's David Clifford and his son Ogie, left, and brother Paudie Clifford, right, celebrate with family. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Now he’s in the game. Another touch, a simple handpass. Stand on the Cusack Stand sideline with hands on the hips and bide your time again. 669 seconds, a quick loop around Breen. 

Another orange flag and the Kingdom contingent find their voice. They continue to be confounded by this generational talent. Three possessions, four points. Wut?

Did you know that on the way to his first All-Ireland crown in 2022, David Clifford only had three assists in the entire championship? 

This is a different animal. One scarred by heartbreaking losses in successive years. One wary of the over-praise and questioning whether all the adulation is sincere. One evolving. What a daunting thought.

After that burst, there were minor stumbles. A turnover and a two-pointer dropped short. So for his ninth possession of the half, he elected to bring his tally to seven. 

As soon as Paudie Clifford stopped in the centre of the field and looked to the screen up high, it was clear what Kerry were going to do. Donegal were still powerless to stop it. It was a play that symbolised David Clifford’s entire afternoon.

Wait. The best things take time. Watch the seconds tick down. Another quick cut, another shot without a play because the swarm was descending rapidly, another two-pointer. How does he do it?

“David has a unique temperament,” said his manager, Jack O’Connor, post-match.

“He just takes it on the stride.

“Of course, he must have felt pressure and he knew he was going to get a lot of heat. But you know, when we spoke about it during the week and he said, look, if I'm double marked and triple marked, he said, I just, I'll just win it and slip it.

“And he's humble enough to create scores for other people and he was a massive part of all we done there, because he kicked three two-pointers and particularly the one on the stroke of halftime was just inspirational for us going in, just get an extra zip ourselves.

“But yeah, how he deals with the weight of expectation, I have no idea.” 

It is a lofty burden to bear. Michael Murphy is one of the few individuals in the sport capable of comprehending it. 

Michael Murphy of Donegal stands dejected after the All-Ireland SFC final. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Despite losing, the 2012 All-Ireland winner was still singled out for a tribute by GAA president Jarlath Burns before he handed Sam Maguire over. Imagine.

That can be a heavy load. Murphy missed a routine free into the Hill as Donegal fell into an irrevocable first-quarter hole. It was a marginal miss. A shot that hit the post. 

He swung over a beauty at the other end when Kerry were penalised for catching a kickout inside the arc, but that miss will bother him nevertheless.

And yet, the lesson of this campaign is that solitary stars are not enough. In the showpiece billed as the collective system versus the individual star, it was decided by both. Clifford scored nine points. Murphy scored eight. Kerry had seven different scorers. Donegal had six.

The Kingdom’s war plan to deal with Murphy was spread across the entire defence. Jason Foley and Paul Murphy lined out beside him and raced to win short kickouts. 

Foley took him on close to goal. Brian Ó Beaglaoich battled him on breaking ball. Mark O’Shea competed in the sky.

This is the worry for all onlooking challengers. Coming into 2025, everyone knew Kerry had an animal. They now know they have a pack as well.