David Clifford 'could be the best player that has ever played the game'

The 42

23-07-2025

KERRY STAR FORWARD David Clifford 'could be the best player that has ever played the game,' according to Donegal boss Jim McGuinness.
Clifford is in a strong position to win his third Footballer of the Year award in 2025, having racked up a championship tally of 8-53 to help Kerry reach this Sunday's All-Ireland final.
The manager plotting Kerry's demise in Croke Park says he believes there will be more certainty about Clifford's place among the all-time greats at the end of his career, but has been particularly impressed by the Fossa man's form this season.
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'Myself and [son] Mark Anthony were chatting about it on the way up in the car there and we were talking about the fact that he could be the best player that has ever played the game and time will tell on that I suppose,' said McGuinness.
'You can never make that assertion until somebody hangs up the boots but certainly he's an exceptional football player.
'He seems to be very driven this year. Even some of the scorers even in Croke Park — he's not kicking it over, he's firing it over. It's a huge challenge but obviously there's a number of what you would call marquee forwards in the Kerry team. His brother (Paudie) is obviously in that bracket as well and Seán O'Shea and a lot of other players that have been incredible servants that know their way around Croke Park.'
McGuinness was in charge for Donegal's last All-Ireland final appearance in 2014. Incidentally, that was also against Kerry. The 2012-winning boss admits that the pain of that defeat is still a vivid memory for him, and that he was tormented by thoughts of that disappointment until his return to the Donegal hot-seat in August 2023.
'I would say there wasn't a day I didn't think about it. I can remember walking about the hotel after we lost in a daze. I didn't know what happened, didn't know where I was, didn't know what actually had gone wrong there and taking a step back from that and trying to work that out.
'It's very, very painful. You're in a banquet and there's 1,200 people and you don't want to see anybody. That's not a nice place to be.
'But if we're competitive in this All-Ireland, I'll be really, really happy. That's all we're looking for is to go in, show our true colours and be competitive. The focus has to be there.'
Donegal ended their 11-year wait for an All-Ireland final after a powerful 20-point victory against Meath. Emerging defender Finnbarr Roarty was among their standout performers, scooping the Man of the Match award after an impressive display at corner-back.
A clubmate of McGuinness's in Naomh Conaill, the Donegal manager has looked on in wonder at the 19-year-old's development as a footballer.
'He punches above his weight in many respects, he doesn't fear anybody. There's an innocence to that but there's a lot of courageousness there as well. He's a brilliant tackler.
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'He's so honest in the tackle and punches above his weight there. When he gets you in that grip, a bit like Karl Lacey, he can get the hand in and the hand out. It's clean and it's crisp and it's strong. He's fair. He's been brilliant, the Donegal people love him.'