Clifford hits two quickfire goals as Kerry power past Clare to land Munster title
Stephen Barry reports from Fitzgerald Stadium
DAVID CLIFFORD NETTED twice inside seven minutes as Kerry cantered to a fifth Munster title in a row with their third consecutive final victory over Clare.
1⃣5⃣ Championship goals now for David Clifford as he nets early for @Kerry_Official against @GaaClare in the @MunsterGAA Football Final 🏆 #KERvCLA pic.twitter.com/glFSZzaxKS
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 4, 2025
Further goals from Micheál Burns and Barry Dan O’Sullivan before the half-time whistle extended the interval lead to 15, before a flat second half played out in front of a 13,181 crowd at Fitzgerald Stadium.
It’s Kerry’s seventh time stringing together five or more provincial titles in succession as they accounted for their 86th overall.
Kerry now enter Group 2 of the All-Ireland SFC, which begins at home to Roscommon in a fortnight before a trip to Cork and a game against the Leinster runners-up at a neutral venue.
Clare head for Group 3, starting at home to Down, then away to Monaghan, and finally facing the Leinster champions at a neutral venue.
Jack O’Connor made six changes due to an injury list that included Shane Ryan, Paul Murphy, Graham O’Sullivan, and Diarmuid O’Connor, on top of Paudie Clifford’s suspension.
On the plus side, they welcomed back Seán O’Shea, Tom O’Sullivan, and Mike Breen. The Dr Crokes trio of Shane Murphy, Tony Brosnan, and Burns were also drafted in to start.
O’Connor’s Kingdom predecessor Peter Keane had Ikem Ugwueru back to fitness but Ciarán Downes missed out.
Kerry’s two-point shooting had been questioned. O’Shea provided an answer within 30 seconds by splitting the posts from outside the arc.
In the fourth minute, they bagged a first goal. Barry Dan O’Sullivan claimed the kick-out and Brosnan dispatched a gorgeous floated crossfield pass for David Clifford to mark. The dangerman played on, rounding Cillian Brennan and rolling a delayed finish to the corner.
They sliced Clare open again within three minutes. Tom O’Sullivan sent in the direct ball to Paul Geaney, who played on with advantage. Barry Dan O’Sullivan teed up Burns, who was denied by Eamon Tubridy’s save, but Clifford volleyed home the rebound for 2-2 to 0-1.
Wasteful Clare had nine first-half misses, including a speculative Eoin Cleary shot on goal saved by Murphy. They briefly stemmed the bleeding with Aaron Griffin and Keelan Sexton points.
But when Emmet McMahon was black-carded for an apparent trip on Paul Geaney, the lead swelled from seven to 14 over the subsequent 10 minutes.
O’Shea knocked over the two-point free before Dylan Geaney’s sharp turn and visionary handpass fed Burns to finish in the 23rd minute.
Within seconds, Clifford cracked the crossbar with his hat-trick attempt and Gavin White’s follow-up was blocked by Brennan.
Clare had only themselves to blame for the fourth goal as Paul Geaney picked off Cillian Rouine’s handpass. The full-forward exchanged a one-two with Clifford before unselfishly squaring for Barry Dan O’Sullivan to dive in with the final touch.
Noel Mooney served up a penalty for Clare, when calling White for a foul on Sexton, but the Na Fianna forward blazed wildly over the crossbar. The half-time gap stood at 15, 4-10 to 0-7.
McMahon punished back-to-back infringements of the new rules with two-point frees before Clifford responded in kind with Kerry’s third orange flag.
Clare created a couple of goal chances but Murphy saved from Sexton and Manus Doherty fired over.
As the game drifted to its conclusion, Kerry handed championship debuts to Mark O’Shea, Keith Evans, and Evan Looney off the bench.
They almost added a fifth goal beyond the hooter but Doherty blocked on the line from Tadhg Morley.
Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 2-5 (1 2pt, 0-1 free), Seán O’Shea 0-8 (1 2pt, 1 2pt free, 0-3 frees), Barry Dan O’Sullivan 1-1, Micheál Burns 1-0, Paul Geaney 0-4 (1 free), Dylan Geaney 0-2.
Scorers for Clare: Emmet McMahon 0-8 (2 2pt frees, 2 frees), Mark McInerney 0-6 (2 frees, 1 45), Brian McNamara 0-2, Keelan Sexton 0-2 (1 penalty), Manus Doherty 0-1, Daniel Walsh 0-1, Aaron Griffin 0-1.
Kerry:1. Shane Murphy (Dr Crokes)
4. Tom O’Sullivan (Dingle), 2. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks), 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)
5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), 6. Mike Breen (Beaufort), 7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes, captain)
8. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks), 9. Barry Dan O’Sullivan (Dingle)
10. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes), 11. Seán O’Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks), 12. Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes)
13. David Clifford (Fossa), 14. Paul Geaney (Dingle), 15. Dylan Geaney (Dingle)
Subs:
- 17. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe) for Foley (27-32, temporary)
- 20. Ruairí Murphy (Listry) for Brosnan (52)
- 19. Killian Spillane (Templenoe) for O’Shea (52)
- 17. Morley for Breen (54)
- 21. Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes) for BD O’Sullivan (56)
- 26. Keith Evans (Keel) for Burns (59)
- 25. Evan Looney (Dr Crokes) for Ó Beaglaoich (64-f-t, temporary)
1. Eamon Tubridy (Doonbeg)
2. Manus Doherty (Éire Óg Ennis), 4. Ronan Lanigan (Éire Óg Ennis), 3. Cillian Brennan (Clondegad, captain)
7. Alan Sweeney (St Breckan’s), 5. Cillian Rouine (Ennistymon), 6. Ikem Ugwueru (Éire Óg Ennis)
8. Brian McNamara (Cooraclare), 11. Emmet McMahon (Kildysart)
12. Dermot Coughlan (Kilmurry-Ibrickane), 10. Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey), 9. Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry-Ibrickane)
13. Keelan Sexton (Na Fianna), 14. Eoin Cleary (St Joseph’s Miltown-Malbay), 15. Mark McInerney (Éire Óg Ennis)
Subs:
- 18. Conor Meaney (Lissycasey) for Sweeney (54)
- 19. Shane Griffin (Lissycasey) for Walsh (54)
- 23. Evan Cahill (Kilmurry-Ibrickane) for Sexton (59)
- 22. Rory McMahon (Kildysart) for Rouine (63)
- 21. Darragh Burns for Cleary (68)
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan).
* Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here
The 42
