Watch and read: Dozen points for David Clifford as Fossa hold off spirited Listowel challenge

Fossa progress to their fourth consecutive Kerry IFC semi-final but they were made to work to the final moments

Kerry IFC quarter-final: Fossa 1-19 Listowel Emmets 2-12.

FENDING off a serious Listowel Emmett’s renaissance in the final quarter, Fossa advanced to their fourth straight Kerry IFC semi-final following this success at home built on twelve points from Kerry talisman David Clifford.

The hosts went for two-pointers in the opening quarter as Clifford was responsible for three of them with Emmet O’Shea scoring the other orange flag. However, it was Listowel who struck for the game's first goal in the eighth minute after punishing a poor Fossa kick-out with Darragh Lynch firing them into a 1-2 to 0-2 lead. 

The hosts responded brilliantly, hitting eight points in succession to lead by 0-10 to 1-2 after 20 minutes before Listowel’s Jack McElligott ended their scoring drought, freed momentarily from his primary task of keeping tabs on David Clifford.

Fossa took a 0-11 to 1-5 lead in with them at half time but in the 40th minute, the visitors levelled the contest. Trailing by 0-14 to 1-6, they found a way through the Fossa defence in the 42nd minute with McElligott the provider to defender John Carmody who found the back of the net to make it a two-point game once more. 

EYES FIXED: Fossa's David Clifford bursts clear of the Listowel Emmets chase in their Kerry IFC victory over the North Kerry men in Fossa on Sunday. Pic: Tatyana McGough.

Paudie Clifford did not score in proceeding until the 46th minute but he was a calming figure for Fossa in the final quarter when Listowel put the pressure on. The industrious Joe Joe Grimes brought Emmets back within one point in the 52nd minute but it felt like anyone's game with five minutes left when Jamie McVeigh levelled matters on the scoreboard at 0-17 to 2-11.

But Fossa dug deep with the Clifford brothers directing operations and an Eoin Talbot point after a shot off the post dropped invitingly into the goal goalmouth put them back in front.

The decisive score of the game though was in the 58th minute as Fossa had the ball in a promising area and while it was uncertain as to whether Emmet O’Shea had initially got the ball over the line, Ted O’Gorman definitely slapped the ball into the net to put them 1-18 to 2-11 in front and five clear.

Grimes and O’Gorman exchanged points before the match ending hooter as Fossa maintain their record of reaching the last four in the Intermediate in Kerry every year since they entered the grade back in 2023.

Fossa manager Jerome Stack will be relieved to have got the better of his native club but the victors know they have a few things to work on ahead of next weekend's semi.

All footage courtesy of Clubber TV.

Scorers for Fossa: D Clifford (0-12, 2tp, 1tpf, 1f), T O’Gorman (1-1), E O’Shea (tp) & P Clifford (0-2 each), J Hallissey and E Talbot (0-1 each).

Scorers for Listowel Emmets: D Lynch (1-2, 2f), J Carmody (1-0), J McElligott, JJ Grimes (1f), S Tarrant & A Carey (0-2 each), P Walsh & J McVeigh (0-1 each).

FOSSA: S O’Sullivan; S Buckley, P Sheehan, D O'Connell; H Kelly, E Talbot, J Hallissey; M Rennie, C O’Shea; T O’Gorman, P Clifford, D Ryan; H Buckley, D Clifford, E O’Shea.

Subs: F Coffey for M Rennie (44), B Myers for H Buckley (51) and F Doyle for H Kelly (53).

LISTOWEL EMMETS: K O’Connor; M Kennedy, E Browne, J Carmody; P Walsh, B Sweeney, E Healy; D Leahy, JJ Grimes; J McElligott, J McVeigh, A Kennelly; D Keane, D Lynch, S Tarrant.

Subs: A Carey for B Sweeney and C Mulvihill for D Keane (both 40), G McCarthy for J Carmody (52) and D Carey for D Lynch (57).

Referee: P Hayes (Kerins O’Rahillys)