David Clifford’s moment of genius will outlive memories of procession win for Kerry

All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Kerry 2-18 Tyrone 0-12

In time, this All-Ireland SFC quarter-final will be remembered only for the spellbinding moment David Clifford yet again managed to hold an entire stadium in the palm of his hand. It is quite the gift. It was quite the pass.

Despite the many work-in-progress magic tricks still up his sleeve, it is impossible to imagine this latest Clifford conjuration not warranting inclusion in his greatest hits highlights reel.

It is not so much watching the replay of Clifford’s pass that confirms its genius but rather hearing the sudden collective gasp of astonishment from the dumbfounded crowd. They had come to see a game of football and left having become extras in a clip for some future episode of Reeling In The Years.

Clifford held the stadium longer than he ever held the ball in that moment, for he didn’t so much catch the size five as halt its momentum. He then immediately snap-kicked it over his shoulder almost on the half volley to the completely unmarked Tony Brosnan, who didn’t even have to break stride as the ball landed in his hands.

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Clifford didn’t pull a rabbit from his hat, he yanked out an entire colony. As he went to collect possession just outside the Tyrone 45-metre line, the ball played down the Hogan Stand sideline had left him with no room for manoeuvre.

Ronan McNamee and Pádraig Hampsey encircled the isolated Kerry player, they had set the trap, a rare opportunity to bag he who never gets ensnared was in play.

“I didn’t think it was a great pass to him in the first place,” admitted Jack O’Connor. “I was just following the play and said to myself, ‘Jesus, they are lining him up here now to nail him’”.

The game was up by that stage, Kerry led 1-15 to 0-9, but when a situation arises where two of the game’s most renowned defenders have the game’s most brilliant forward pinned against the line, him facing the Hogan Stand and a million miles from goal, you expect the outcome to either be a mundane sideline or a brutal hit.

[ On a war footing, Kerry signal intent with bullish victory over Tyrone ]

What nobody in Croke Park expected, besides Clifford, was an improvised over the shoulder box kick that set Brosnan away and ultimately ended with Seán O’Shea scoring Kerry’s second goal. There were 61 minutes gone in the game at the time and 139 years gone in the history of the GAA, but nobody could recall any previous pass of such audacity.

O’Connor wondered if his captain might have eyes on the back of his head.

“That was some vision to see where Tony was,” stated O’Connor. “But sure that’s the mark of the man he is.”

Speaking on GAAGO afterwards, Clifford was asked if he had seen Brosnan.

“I had a fair idea, yeah,” he said, but was keen to point out: “I didn’t have a great day with the kicking, so it was nice for something to come off.”

Newspaper records might jot down Clifford’s three wides and three efforts that dropped short, another off the post, but ultimately folklore won’t care for such stuff. Folklore will ensure the pass is never forgotten, though.

As for the game itself, the final whistle couldn’t come quickly enough for Tyrone as Kerry re-established Gaelic football’s old world order.

Kerry led 0-9 to 0-6 at half-time but they buried Tyrone in the third quarter to lead 1-14 to 0-6. From the 29th to the 52nd minute Kerry scored 1-8 without reply. Tyrone’s first score of the second half only arrived in the 54th minute and they went for a period of 36 minutes without registering a single score from play.

They had given up even before Man of the Match Diarmuid O’Connor netted Kerry’s opening goal in the 52nd minute to put his side 11 points ahead.

Both teams finished with 14 men as Paudie Clifford and Conor Meyler received second yellow cards after referee Brendan Cawley eventually got fed up with the pair spending their time on the pitch wrestling.

Pádraig Hampsey was given the man-marking job on David Clifford, McKernan picked up O’Shea while Meyler was on Paudie Clifford and Ronan McNamee marshalled Paul Geaney. At the other end of the field Tom O’Sullivan followed Darragh Canavan while Paul Murphy shadowed Ruairí Canavan.

Kerry were hungrier and more energetic all over the pitch, they hunted in packs and turned over several attacks – they out-Tyroned Tyrone. No doubt Paddy Tally can take plenty of the credit for their complete shutdown of the Tyrone attack.

And when Kerry brought the heat and pressure in that third period, Tyrone didn’t want anything to do with it. They accepted their fate. The Tyrone team which won the All-Ireland two years ago appears to have vanished overnight for we have not seen them since.

That is also quite the magic trick. But David Clifford’s sorcery continues to eclipse everything else. He has quite the gift. He is quite the gift.

Kerry: Shane Ryan; Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan (0-1); Gavin White, Paul Murphy, Tadhg Morley; Diarmuid O’Connor (1-2), Jack Barry; Dara Moynihan, Seán O’Shea (1-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 45), Adrian Spillane (0-2); Paudie Clifford (0-1), David Clifford (0-5, three frees, one mark), Paul Geaney (0-1). Subs: Tony Brosnan for Geaney (51 mins); Stephen O’Brien (0-1) for Spillane (51 mins); Brian Ó Beaglaoich for White (58 mins); Micheál Burns for Moynihan (59 mins); Mike Breen for Foley (64 mins).

Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Ronan McNamee, Pádraig Hampsey, Conor Meyler; Peter Harte, Michael McKernan (0-1), Cormac Quinn; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Michael O’Neill, Ruairí Canavan (0-2), Kieran McGeary; Darren McCurry (0-4, four frees), Matthew Donnelly (0-1), Darragh Canavan (0-2). Subs: Frank Burns for Quinn (35 mins); Cathal McShane (0-2) for R Canavan (45 min); Joe Oguz for McGeary (45 mins); Seán O’Donnell for Donnelly (64 mins); Aidan Clarke for Hampsey (67 mins).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).