Cliffords produce Lazarus act to break Beaufort hearts

The genius of the Clifford brothers, especially Paudie, saw Fossa produce another Lazarus act to pip a heartbroken Beaufort by 2-11 to 0-15 in a dramatic Kerry IFC quarter-final in front of a huge crowd at a rain-sodden Beaufort on Sunday.

Fossa looked dead and buried with 15 minutes left as Beaufort retained their interval advantage of six points.

The third quarter only yielded two points apiece in extremely difficult weather conditions. Beaufort were looking good with Ethan Coffey shadowing David Clifford as well as could be expected. Mike Breen was doing likewise on Paudie Clifford, and the likes of Fergal Hallissey, Liam Carey and Jack O’Connor were prominent up front.

Stage one of the resurrection came when Ted O’Gorman and Paddy Sheehan made inroads down the left flank, and when the latter’s hand-pass came across the square, Cian O’Shea set up Paudie Clifford for a left-footed finish to Beaufort's net.

Fossa gained a new lease of life but Beaufort responded with a Hallissey pointed free to push them four to the good, 0-14 to 1-7. But then Paudie Clifford strode the pitch like a colossus, firing over from outside the arc. When Emmett O’Shea converted a close-in free, it was now just 0-14 to 1-10.

Shane O’Sullivan denied Nathan Breen a certain goal that would surely have scuttled Fossa’s ship.

Then came the drama, two minutes into injury-time. Beaufort turned the ball over and a Fossa defensive boot saw the ball fly down the field where David Clifford was outnumbered two to one. But his turn of pace was electric and, chipping the ball instantly off the deck into his grasp, he spotted his brother advancing into dangerous territory.

Eschewing the opportunity to fist over the equaliser the older Clifford pulled out the sandwedge with an outrageous chip over the head of Beaufort ‘keeper Fionn O’Neill for the winning goal.

Fossa now face a repeat meeting with Kilcummin who battered them by 12 points in the group clash.

Kilcummin edged out Listowel Emmets by 1-14 to 0-16 in their own thriller.

The home side was dominant early on, with Philip O’Leary and Cian Foley striking two-pointers before Mark O’Shea netted after a flowing move involving his brother Paul and Kevin Gorman. With further scores from Foley and Paul O’Shea, Kilcummin looked in control, but Emmets gradually found their rhythm. Joe Joe Grimes hit three excellent points from play, while Sam Tarrant, Eddie Healy and Sean Keane also chipped in to cut the deficit, leaving it 1-8 to 0-7 at the break.

Mike Breen of Beaufort in action against Paudie Clifford of Fossa during their Kerry Petroleum Intermediate Club Football Championship quarter final in Beaufort on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough

Emmets carried that momentum into the second half. Scores from Keane, Grimes and Conor Sweeney reduced the gap, and when Joe Joe Grimes struck a two pointer, the visitors hit the front for the first time. Kilcummin, however, held their nerve, with Matt Keane and Paul O’Shea accurate from frees before Shane McSweeney struck the winner late on.

Killarney Legion will play An Ghaeltacht in the other semi-final after a big win over fancied Glenflesk, 1-21 to 0-14.

Legion had five straight points to go 0-10 to 0-5 up. Glenflesk brought it back to one five minutes after restart but Legion hit the net through Darragh Lyne in the 36th minute. Ryan O'Grady hit a two-pointer and Legion pulled away from there. James O’Donoghue came on in 38th minute and kicked 0-3 off bench. O'Grady finished with 0-8.

An Ghaeltacht were within minutes of coming a cropper in a wind and rain lashed Gallarus. But trailing by five points to a brave Gneeveguilla side, a pair of points from PJ Mac Laimh and Conor Ó Corrduibh brought it back to three before a rapid-fire pair of two-pointers from Cathal Ó Beaglaoich pushed An Ghaeltacht in front for the first time. Éanna Ó Conchúir tapped over a late penalty to seal a 0-21 to 1-16 win.

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