Watch and read: Awesome Cliffords power Fossa to Kerry senior status for the first time

Kerry IFC final: Fossa 0-26 Kilcummin 0-22.

At long last. Fifteen points from David Clifford and four from his brother Paudie drove Fossa past Kilcummin to intermediate glory in Kerry.

At the hooter in Fitzgerald Stadium, the brothers found each other and embraced. This is something they’ve never done before. What a wonder.

Interest in this decider was such that throw-in was delayed by 15 minutes due to crowd congestion. Both teams were mid-warmup when the news broke, both of them electing to return to the dressing room.

Fossa were founded as a club in 1970 and have never played in the senior championship. The two Cliffords were trying to power them to a place they had never been before. That trek was never likely to be easy.

A half-time score of 0-12 to 0-10 with Kilcummin in front would not have troubled them given James Foley’s side were playing with the breeze. Paudie Clifford slotted a glorious two-pointer in front of the stand while David landed points off left and right but they endured serious difficulty getting their hands on ball.

In that first half, Fossa only kicked one wide. Kilcummin had six and one Mikey Casey missed goal chance, with goalkeeper Brendan Kealy able to salvage a point from the 45. Paul O’Shea kicked two two-pointers, one from a breach free, to maintain their advantage.

In he first ten minutes, David Clifford had one single possession. Eventually he came out to contest a kickout and won a free. That play ended in a Paddy Sheehan point. Any time the Kerry star was on the ball, he had several defenders for company with Dara O’Callaghan leading the way. At one point, he recognised that attention and sprayed a lovely kick pass across the field where Ted O’Gorman was able to cut in and score.

But they needed more from him. He knew it. So, just after his older brother scored from the throw-in, Clifford curled over a gorgeous effort from outside the arc to push his club in front. He raised another orange flag from a free he earned himself soon after.

That was how the contest continued. Kilcummin were dominant in midfield with the Cliffords turning crumbs into something delicious.

Kilcummin will rue 14 misses between wides and shots short. But they met a phenomenal power on the day.

Match footage via Clubber TV

Scorers for Fossa: D. Clifford 0-15 (3 tp, 2 tpf, 2f); P. Clifford 0-4 (1 tp); D. Ryan 0-2; P. Sheehan, E. Talbot, R. Colleran, T. O’Gorman, E. O’Shea 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kilcummin: P. O’Shea 0-4 (1 tpf); M. O’Shea, M. Casey, K. Murphy (tp) 0-3 each; M. Keane 0-2; P. O. Leary 0-2; J. Williams, J. Fogarty, , C. Foley, K. McCarthy (free), B. Kealy (45) 0-1 each.

FOSSA: S. O’Sullivan; P. Sheehan, S. Buckley, D. O’Connell; B. Myers, E. Talbot, R. Colleran; M. Rennie, C. O’Shea; J. Hallissey, P. Clifford, D. Ryan; T. O’Gorman, D. Clifford, E. O’Shea.

Subs: F. Coffey for Rennie (40); M. Kennelly for O’Shea (46); F. Doyle for Hallissey (48); H. Buckley for Colleran (51).

KILCUMMIN: B. Kealy; C. O’Leary, D. O’Callaghan, J. Williams; S. O’Leary, D. Stack, J. Nagle; P. O’Shea, C, Kelleher; M. O’Shea, K. Murphy, C. Foley; M. Casey, K. McCarthy, P. O’Leary.

Subs: K. Gorman for Kelleher, M. Keane for Nagle (both 36); J. Fogarty for Williams (49); I. Devane for O’Shea (55), D. Moynihan for Foley (57).

Referee: E. Ó Muircheartaigh.