AIB All-Ireland Club JFC final
Stewartstown (Tyrone) 1-13 Fossa (Kerry) 0-19
STEWARTSTOWN'S heroic effort was unable to stretch to the containment of the great David Clifford, who almost single-handedly led Fossa to the All-Ireland Club JFC title.
Clifford’s magic once again cast a spell on Croke Park as he fired over 11 points to heap agony on the Tyrone champions.
And it all ended in disarray, with four Harps men sent off as discipline fell away in the closing stages.
The Footballer of the Year was also sent off right at the death, but only after he had inflicted the utmost damage on his northern opponent, picking up a second booking, while three of the Tyrone side’s dismissals were on straight red cards.
All that aside, Stewartstown will reflect on this game as one in which they more than held their own.
“We lost a player or two and it was always going to be difficult after that. But we couldn’t question our workrate and hunger because those Stewartstown players really emptied the tank out there today, just as they have done all year,” said joint-manager Blake Smyth.
“We have enjoyed an incredible season. At the start of the year we couldn’t have wished for much better despite this loss.
“Everyone was writing us off coming into Croke Park, but everyone in Stewartstown believed that we could beat Fossa. We didn’t do that today, but if we played them 10 times it wouldn’t be all one way that’s for sure.
“This team can now really challenge at intermediate in Tyrone. There’s a sense of pride in how we played in this All-Ireland final. We went out and played, we didn’t freeze, didn’t panic and didn’t go in for tactics. We went out to play the game and I think we did that.”
Clifford had full-back Darren Devlin for close and constant company, with a variety of other Harps rotating as an additional shadow, chiefly Conor Quinn and skipper Mark Rooney.
But there was little they could do to harness the brilliant Kingdom star, who flashed over a couple of early scores to get his side going.
But Stewartstown were composed on the ball, playing smartly out of defence with Kyran Robinson and Tiernan Rush operating as effective linkmen and Macauley Quinn a powerful force at midfield.
It was Quinn who galloped through to shoot his side two ahead but the sides were level by the end of the opening quarter as Clifford and Harry Buckley found the target.
But Stewartstown struck for a 24th-minute goal. Dylan McElhatton sent in a cross from the right which ’keeper Shane O’Sullivan and full-back Fintan Coffey failed to deal with, and the predatory Devlin nipped in to punch to the net from close range.
Quinn’s second point rounded off a flowing move for a four-point advantage, and they led by three at the break, 1-7 to 0-7, after Clifford’s fifth score had cancelled out Stephen Talbot’s effort.
But Fossa turned up the tempo after the restart, with Paudie Clifford a serious force driving forward, and Paddy Sheehan and Emmet O’Shea putting in significant shifts.
David Clifford turned provider for the older brother Paudie and added a few more gems himself as they eased ahead. Full-back Darren Devlin’s straight red card left Stewartstown to soldier on without their chief man-marker for almost half-an-hour.
Dan Lowe posted a couple of scores, but the Clifford factor was becoming more critical by the minute, with points flying over off right and left.
Cian O’Shea picked up a black card, but the Kingdom champions were able to keep their opponents at bay, and scores from O’Shea, Buckley and Clifford pushed them four clear as the game moved into stoppage time.
As it slipped away from the Harps, straight red cards saw Anton Coyle and Kyran Robinson dismissed in the closing stages, with Gareth Devlin also off on a second booking.
A second yellow card for Clifford ended his involvement deep into stoppage time – with a straight red for his brother Paudie – but that was a minor irritant on another triumphant day for Fossa’s finest.
Stewartstown: G Kelly; J Park, D Devlin, C Quinn (0-1); K Robinson, M Rooney, G O’Neill; S Talbot (0-2), M Quinn (0-2); D McElhatton, C O’Neill, T Rush; D Lowe (0-3, 0-2 frees), G Devlin (1-5, 0-3 frees), T Lowe
Subs A Coyle for T Lowe (46), C Devlin for D Lowe (52)
Fossa: S O’Sullivan; B Myers, F Coffey, K McCarthy; D O’Keefe, P Clifford (0-2), D O’Connell; E Talbot, P Sheehan; H Buckley (0-3), M Rennie, C O’Shea; R Doyle, D Clifford (0-11, 0-3 frees), E O’Shea (0-3, 0-1 45)
Subs R Colleran for McCarthy (h-t), T O’Shea for Doyle (55), K Buckley for H Buckley (62),
M Dennehy for O’Keefe (67)
Referee T Murphy (Galway)
