
David Clifford 'the greatest to have come out of Kerry' says Tomás O'Sé
Clifford was once again immense at Croke Park this past Saturday, scoring 1-9 in a magnificent display as Kerry breezed past Tyrone to reach the All-Ireland final.
The Fossa man has been far and away the best player in the country for years now, and with the introduction of the new rules this year, he has thrived and now exerts even more influence over games.
His performances since bursting onto the scene have been out of this world with many feeling the full-forward is perhaps the best to ever grace the game.
Multiple time All-Ireland winner Ó'Sé didn't go quite that far on The Sunday Game last night, but he still paid Clifford perhaps the highest compliment one Kerry footballer can give another.
"Everybody in Kerry would always hate discussions about who is the greatest? Who is the best? Because you have the likes of Micky Sheehy, Gooch, Matt O'Connor, Peter Canavan, but I think he has done stuff that elevates him, in my opinion, I think he is the greatest to come out of Kerry," said Ó'Sé.
"I just think the way he carries himself, the way he leads, what he does off the ball, what he does off the field, he's old-style, he's grounded and his family make sure he's grounded.
"But it's what he does on the field and the consistency he brings. A poor season for David Clifford is a top season for other players.
"He is gifted and no matter what way you want to throw it at him, he'll take abuse. He has the silky skills but he has a tough edge to him as well.
"Everybody outside of Kerry would say 'why don't you build him up? He is the greatest footballer of all time?
"They don't like to build him up too much in Kerry because we need him for the next game!"
Clifford and Kerry will be favourites for the All-Ireland final when they take on Donegal in two week's time. Jim McGuinness will undoubtedly have a say in things however and one can only imagine what plan he is cooking up to deal with Clifford.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Independent
17 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty wins Sligo Stages Rally 2025
Doherty and Donegal's David Kelly were locked in a battle for top spot all afternoon until Kelly spun off on the final stage. The bumper main field was expected to bring severe competition, and it delivered fully. The opening stage, Sligo Junction sponsored Brae, took its toll on the best, as tipped favourite Josh Moffitt encountered a big off on the downhill section bring an end to his day. The battle for the other top fielders remained intense even in his absence, with late entry David Kelly setting fastest, two seconds ahead of number one seed Eddie Doherty and Dessie Henry who were on matched times followed by the two Boyles. Stage two, the Cloonacool Porter Ford sponsored tighter test, saw Eddie Doherty take the advantage going ahead by 1.8 seconds on Kelly, with Donegal man, and former winner, Boyle just 0.2 off second place. Stage 3, before service, the DC Fire protection sponsored shortened sprint saw Doherty holding his lead but Boyle closed that gap to within 0.1 of second entering the Carty sponsored Service area at the Collooney roundabout. For the second loop, the crews headed back for the Brae and once again it was David Kelly who braved the mountain test to set fastest and regain his lead holding a margin of No 1 seed Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty. The Boyles were lying third and fourth marginally off the leading two, which remained constant over Cloonacool second time over. On the shortened stage six, Doherty showed his advantage on the shorter sprint to regain the lead. It was back to the Brae for the final loop, Kelly again showed his bravery over the mountain closing that gap to 0.8 of the leaders – a tight margin he again let slip on the penultimate stage with the gap moving out to 2.4. David Kelly was making the final burst to close that gap on the final sprint but having a big spin mid stage brought an end to his rally, and Killkenny's Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy were to lift the title of FAAC simply Automatic / Sligo Park Hotel – Stages Rally 2025 title. Finishing second was Declan Boyle and Patrick Walsh, 10 seconds off the leader and indeed they saved the day for the remaining field when they sportingly cleared the Kellys car to a safe position in six minutes to let the final stage run. His son Michael Boyle and Dermot Mc Cafferty on the notes finished third, making it a one, two, three for the Skoda Fabias. From a local perspective, finishers included Paul Crosby and Eoin Lennon picking up the Mc Gowan Landscapes Award for the fastest Connacht Motor Club crew, John Mc Gettrick and Conor Lappin were 8th in Class 13. Keith Ewing and Stefan Comerford in the busy Class 11F finished just outside the awards at 5th in the class with fellow locals 6th in that class Alan Lawson and Sean Harte capturing the Martin Kearns Memorial Award for the highest placed Connacht Motor Club finisher, not in receipt of any other award. Jason Currid and John Conway took first in Class 15 as Boyle's Andy Heekin with David Mc Sorley on notes came second in that class. Paul Mc Loughlin with Liam Nelis in their Sunbeam captured first in Class 10 ahead of Patsy Mc Donagh guided by local Leigh Cavanagh on notes. Ferlin Taylor with Shane Barry on the notes took the RWD Peugeot to the finish line having a challenging week preparing the car for the weekend at 10th in the highly competitive Class 13. Brian O Donnell and Oraith Mullaney in the unique MX5 came home next in class. North Sligo crew Colin Currid and Paul Gallagher crossed the finish ramp at 68th overall, while neighbouring competitor Patrick Herity with John Mc Carthy on notes finished 70th. Rory and Katelyn Carrol took their Class 12 Escort to the finish ramp at 72nd overall. On his first event on tarmac in the driver seat, Jack Carty with Declan Boyle calling notes finished just outside the awards 4th in Class 10. Ballymote's Alan and Gary Quinn in the Damp Master Opel Manta finished at 91st. Completing his 30th Sligo Rally at 65 years old, Brian McGarraghy with his son home from Australia, Mark took the meticulous yellow Escort across the ramp finishing 6th in Class 11R. Miceal Currid with Shae Kelly shouting the notes took first in Class 1 in the Civic. Gurteen's David Hunt with Gillian in the navigator seat, while being off for a period recovered to take 3rd in Class 2A. Also being off for a short period, Ballymote's David Quinn with Leigh Currid calling notes managed to take the Subaru, in the absence of the BMW, home to capture 3rd in Class 15. At prizegiving it was emotional as the award in the memory of the late Gene Mc Donald and Daire Maguire was presented to the highest placed Class 13 finisher not in receipt of any other award who was Seimi Brown and Ciaran Harkin. The Tommy Hughes Award, which is presided over by the synonymous John Comiskey for volunteers who include competitors, marshals, timekeepers, radio personnel, sponsors or anyone who contributes to the running of rallying in the northern region was presented to Andrew Mullen for his continuous support of rallying and devotion to rallying in the country. The club would sincerely wish to acknowledge and thank the support and understanding of local residents, businesses, Garda and local authorities and to the many people who volunteered over the weekend.


Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
'I'd love to play forever': Noel McGrath joins Tipp greats with fourth All-Ireland medal
Tipperary's club of four-time All-Ireland senior hurling medal winners welcomed a ninth member on Sunday. Only 12 from the county have more than Noel McGrath and by winning a Celtic Cross in a third different decade the Loughmore-Castleiney man joined an even more exclusive group. From Tipperary, John Doyle collected honours from the 1940s to 60s, Jimmy Doyle from the 1950s to '71 and before them Tommy Doyle. McGrath wasn't completely aware of those records but being interested in Tipperary hurling history he had an idea of where a fourth All-Ireland medal would place him. 'There's no point in saying that I didn't know that if we won, getting to four was the first time since '65 or '71 that someone has done it. 'I live hurling and I know a lot about the history of Tipperary so I would have been aware of that and now that's happened. Sure, it's a great feeling and I'm delighted to be one with four. There's a lot of lads with three and a few with two and more with their first so to be in that category is unreal.' Just like Darragh McCarthy is now, McGrath was 19 when he claimed his first All-Ireland medal. As a substitute on the day, McGrath was quick to put his arm around the Toomevara youngster when he was sent off prior to the Munster SHC defeat to Cork. His recovery since has heartened his older team-mate. 'He's one of the most dedicated hurlers you'll find. He's always practising, always doing different things. He's a nice young fella. Nobody likes to see that happen to a team-mate and he had a tough few weeks and months but he gave an exhibition in an All-Ireland final. Noel McGrath of Tipperary, and his son Sam, lifts the Liam MacCarthy cup. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 'To be able to play and he struck his frees after the last match or two that the frees hadn't gone well for him and (in the final) I don't think he missed one so I was delighted for him.' To come off the bench and send over a point and share Sunday with his and wife Aisling's two-year-old son Sam made number four all the more special for McGrath. 'I never thought in my wildest dreams that I'd be able to bring him to Croke Park. To win an All-Ireland with him is unreal. That will be something that I will remember forever and that I have forever. I suppose he'll see all the pictures from it, he won't remember it but he'll have them memories and all those pictures. It's special for me to be able to do that with him.' To see his younger brother John remind people of his worth in the blue and gold was satisfying too. 'He's been very good for us this year. He's had a tough few years where he had been on (the team), he wasn't on, he was off, you know what I mean? 'But his club form has been unbelievable over the last five, I suppose even 10 years, but especially in the last five or six. I think the whole country is seeing that now, how good he's been over the last six months with Tipperary.' If Sunday was McGrath's last time in a Tipperary jersey, it was a fitting finale for the 34-year-old. 'There's no point in me saying here now what I know I'm going to do. I'd love to stay playing forever but I know that can't happen. We'll see in time. I'll go back to the club and see how that goes over the next few months.' The decision on whether to return for an 18th season will be predicated on the mental demands more so than the physical. 'I never really had that evening where you're dragging yourself out to training. You'd be looking forward to it and that for me is the part that really keeps you going, that you're not feeling it as a drag. I enjoyed every minute of it. And when you have an ending like this, it's hard not to enjoy it as well. 'I go in training and I burst myself every night to be trying to get on that 15. And if you're not on it, you want to be one of the ones that come on, you know what I mean? I'm no different to anyone else and when I'm 50 years of age, I'll still want to play. That's just the nature of it.'


Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Seánie McGrath: When Cork struggled for scores and leadership, sharper decisions were needed
At one stage last week, I said to the wife that I couldn't wait for 6pm on Sunday evening, when the whole ticket frenzy of collecting, swapping, and distributing was done, the match had been enjoyed, and the hope was that I and everyone else in red would be basking in the glory of a 31st All-Ireland. Instead, there was a collective scratching of the head by the Cork public. We wondered in unison at what the hell had just happened. Leaving the ground and filing out onto Jones Road, there was genuine shellshock. We were almost in a daze. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Take us with you this summer. Annual €130€65 Best value Monthly €12€6 / month