Jason Forde: Schoolboy prodigy, senior perseverance, and All-Star form
Back in 2012, the Silvermines star was due to play the biggest game of his young hurling life, a Harty Cup quarter-final against local rivals Thurles CBS. The evening before that derby clash, he rang up one of the coaches. What followed wasn't so much a discussion as an alert from their mild-mannered captain.
Nenagh CBS manager Donach O'Donnell takes up the story.
'He rang Niall Quigley the night before the Thurles game to tell him, listen, I'm going to take my frees off the left side tomorrow, just in case you're wondering what's going on.
He was that comfortable shooting off both sides, and he just felt, when he was practising, he was more comfortable with it. I mean, it's a phenomenal feat really.
'The coach rang me, we were discussing it, a bit worried about it, but look, if he feels he can do it, let him off.'
It wasn't as if his free-taking had been a problem. Indeed, Forde takes them off his right to this day. The frees he slotted down the stretch against Kilkenny from either sideline were all struck off his right. His 1-5 total was mined from six shots.
They could've as easily been taken off his left. In that Thurles CBS encounter, he struck 1-14 between the drawn game and replay.
He stuck with the citóg approach for the remainder of the campaign.
The semi-final against champions Ardscoil Rís also went to a second day, with Forde scoring 1-17 across those games. In the replay, he accounted for 1-10 of their 1-11 total, including a spectacular stoppage-time winner.
They lost the Harty final to the Coláiste na nDéise combination, but Forde scored 14 of Nenagh's 17 points to defeat St Kieran's in the Croke Cup semi-final.
Forde was taken down by illness before the final against Kilkenny CBS. If he wasn't moving with his usual energy at centre-forward, he turned the game when switched inside, burying two goals and laying on a third for Nenagh's All-Ireland breakthrough.
Nenagh CBS captain Jason Forde lifts the Croke Cup. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
He actually wore the No 6 jersey for that campaign. It was a legacy from his origins, starting off hurling with a small, rural club. Forde was often cast into the centre-back slot for maximum effect. That was where he first caught the eye.
He hurled there for Tipperary underage sides up to minor level, before slowly moving upfield. Nenagh left him in that jersey to take the pressure off his shoulders.
After defeating Galway last month, Forde spoke about the vitality passed on by the youthful exuberance of Darragh McCarthy, Sam O'Farrell and Oisín O'Donoghue.
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'They've no baggage. They just love hurling, love training, and we're all feeding off that energy,' he told RTÉ.
In many ways, McCarthy has mirrored Forde's rise. Where Forde captained the CBS to their Croke Cup breakthrough, McCarthy came along to lead them to a historic Harty Cup after four final defeats.
'I think he sees Darragh McCarthy particularly as the young fella who's followed in his footsteps,' says O'Donnell, who guided both through their school years.
'They were both captains of successful CBS teams, they're both good leaders, free-takers, top scorers most of the time. I'd say he sees that in Darragh.
'And Jason was like that when he was back in school. He never had a hurley out of his hand. He was permanently tipping away after training, before training, and on his own as well. Darragh was very much like that too.
Tipperary's Jason Forde consoles Darragh McCarthy after he was sent off against Kilkenny. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
'They both really wanted it. They really, really pushed other guys around them as well.
They understood that for the team to be successful, other guys had to come with them, play their part, and improve. They both drove that mentality, that work ethic.'
There was never any questioning his hurling, right from the days when he finished as runner-up in the national Féile na nGael skills final to Shane Dowling. Nor his drive, having led Silvermines to a Munster Intermediate title while still aged 18.
But Forde's rise from those schooldays wasn't all plain sailing. Not that it was ever going to be easy to infiltrate an attack where Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett were passing the baton onto Séamus Callanan and Noel McGrath.
He captained the county minors and U21s, but despite some remarkable scoring returns, Tony Kelly's Clare knocked them out every year from 2010 to 2014 en route to five successive Munsters and three All-Irelands across those grades.
Eamon O'Shea named Forde to start for his championship debut against an O'Donnell-coached Limerick side in 2013, but illness scuppered that reunion.
Forde appeared off the bench for their infamous Nowlan Park elimination, but had to wait two more years for that first championship start to come around again.
When it did, he bagged 1-3 in a statement performance against Limerick in 2015. He also scored off the bench in the 2014 drawn final and 2016 victory.
There were other tough days too, mainly in semi-finals against Galway. He was taken off at half-time in 2015 and came on as a sub in 2017, only to be removed before the finish.
Wexford manager Davy Fitzgerald and Aidan Nolan clash with Jason Forde of Tipperary. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
In the latter year, a harsh one-match suspension when Davy Fitzgerald entered the field during a league semi-final cost Forde his place in Tipp's championship opener.
'I was probably at the lowest I was ever at after 2017,' Forde would reflect.
'I got brought on and taken off in the same game, that wasn't easy to deal with.
If I was to go back in 2018, I knew there was no point in going back to do the same thing — you'd only end up with the same result.'
He took up personal training in the off-season, and that lit a fire to complete a strength and conditioning diploma at Setanta College, over the road from Semple Stadium. During a career break from his teaching post at Nenagh College, he launched a new business, JF Performance, in January 2023.
Asked if he was looking to mirror other gym owners, TJ Reid and Andy Moran, who excelled well into their 30s, Forde replied: 'You'd be hoping so.'
When Séamus Callanan missed the league in 2018, Forde grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
Filled with confidence from a second Fitzgibbon Cup with UL and installed as the focal point of the attack at full-forward, he blasted 7-72 across seven games; an average of 1-10 per match.
Forde scored 2-11 in the semi-final against Limerick and 2-12 in the final defeat to Kilkenny. He finished April as GAA/GPA Player of the Month.
He carried that form into championship, scoring 3-39 in four games, but Tipp didn't win any as they dropped out of the Munster round-robin. When his first All-Star nomination came, Forde was the only Premier hurler on the shortlist.
Liam Sheedy kept Forde as his free-taker in 2019 as the Premier won their second All-Ireland in four seasons.
Forde landed 0-7 from play in a remarkable Munster final defeat to Limerick in 2021, earning his third All-Star nomination.
Jason Forde scores Tipperary's third goal of the All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
If there's a sense that Forde is overdue an All-Star for his talent, he could be on the cusp of reaching that milestone. While Cork are favourites, Forde is Tipp's front-runner for Hurler of the Year honours.
As per Gaelic Statsman on X, Forde has converted 80% of his shots at the posts in 2025, the highest of the inside forwards on either side this year. His tally of 3-44 from 59 shots includes 3-14 from play.
In an era where shooting from a sideline cut has fallen out of fashion as the low-percentage play, Forde has slotted all four from four attempts this summer.
His flicked goal against Kilkenny was the reward for all those years of pucking around before and after training, as he came up trumps in those championship moments.
In a final against Cork, they once again need Forde to be at his efficient best. Tipp know they can count on him.
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The 42
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The star Kerry defender who was told he was too small for football
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But it would take time for the message to spread across the county. Paul Murphy tackling Cork's Kevin Hallissey in the 2012 Munster U21 final. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO 'He had right and left [foot] from a very early age, when the rest of us didn't,' says Rathmore's current senior manager David McCarthy who is the same age as Murphy. He saw the makings of a future Kerry great from when they were both U8. By the time they turned 21, McCarthy had swapped playing for coaching. Murphy was set for a different path, his arc just starting to rise. 'I wouldn't have had the commitment that Paul had. He always did have the skill levels. He always made the right decision It's probably a classic thing underage where the bigger players might get the nod ahead of smaller players. 'But once everyone got on the same level, it was quickly noticed how good he was.' **** In 2021, after announcing his retirement as a Kerry footballer, Peter Crowley had a visitor. It was his friend and former teammate, Paul Murphy. This was more than a friendly visit. It was an intervention. They'd known each other since their Sigerson football days in UCC, although they weren't particularly close at the time. But after Murphy make the breakthrough to the Kerry seniors, the pair became housemates. Advertisement Murphy's words failed to inspire a change of heart on this occasion but the effort was appreciated. 'I wasn't for turning,' Crowley says, stilling reflecting on that memory with gratitude. Having made his Kerry bow in 2012, he was happy to walk away with his All-Ireland medal from 2014. He's not surprised that Murphy stayed the course, and is still meeting the Kerry standard after more than a decade of service. The enduring quality of Paul Geaney — the other survivor of that starting team who defeated Donegal 11 years ago — isn't a shock to him either. 'The two Pauls would have always been very similar in terms of their preparation,' says Crowley. 'They've always been very dedicated, always doing the extra bit in terms of keeping their body in good shape. Particularly Paul Murphy would have always been very thorough in his preparation.' Brian Kelly, Declan O'Sullivan, Peter Crowley and Paul Murphy celebrate after Kerry's 2014 All-Ireland final win. Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO Murphy first came to prominence for Kerry in the half-back line, and is currently playing the specialist role of the man-marking corner-back. He's danced with some of the best forwards in the country this year. Crowley remembers the 2016 campaign when the Rathmore man was deployed along the half-forward line. He scored 1-1 in the Munster final that year, as Kerry defeated Tipperary to secure their 78th provincial crown. That versatility he had mined on the club field was bearing fruit on the inter-county stage. 'You kind of forget how long he's been there,' Crowley adds. 'He was about 23 when he got his first start. To keep playing at 34 at a high level in a kind of position where he hasn't always played. He made his name as a half-back and would have played all over us as well.' **** Rathmore have a proud tradition of All-Ireland final representation. And Murphy is not their first man-of-the-match winner either. Din Joe Crowley was the MVP in the 1969 decider against Offaly. Aidan O'Mahony won the award in Kerry's 2006 triumph over Mayo while sticky corner-back Tom O'Sullivan was the top pick in the 2009 final against Cork. And that's not the end of Rathmore's cast of Kerry heroes. Declan O'Keeffe won two All-Irelands as the Kerry goalkeeper. And now Shane Ryan is their man between the sticks. But what is perhaps most interesting about Kerry's current netminder is that he is primarily an outfield player for the club. Rathmore boss McCarthy explains where the switch in positions occurred. 'I think it actually came about through soccer. He went for trials in England with a couple of clubs when he was young and it was someone in Killarney Celtic that pulled him in as a goalkeeper. He was in a development squad with Kerry so he ended up in goals with Kerry underage all the way through. 'He's very rarely played in goal at senior level for Rathmore because he's probably wasted in goal for us. I was starting to get tempted [to try it] when I saw the new rules. I was thinking that's definitely something you could be throwing out if there was a plus one going forward, Shane would be the one you'd want. But you'd much rather have him in the full-forward line shooting.' Murphy has a few years on Ryan, which meant the young goalkeeper had an older brother from home to turn to when his Kerry call-up arrived in 2019. It was the same level of support that Murphy received from O'Mahony when he was a young pup in the Kerry camp. Double it and pass it on. Another huge plus for the Rathmore conveyor belt that keeps producing high value players with each passing generation. Paul Murphy and Shane Ryan carrying the Sam Maguire after the 2022 All-Ireland final. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO 'Aidan was very good to Paul when he came in,' says McCarthy, 'And obviously it's probably a great thing when you go into a set-up like that, that you have someone from your own club to put the arm around you and bring you with him, especially for something as big as an All-Ireland final. 'Shane had that from Paul in 2019. It's great that there's the two of them involved in it and that he had that experience to lean on when he needed it.' **** In 2021, Paul Murphy was selected as Kerry captain. His clubmate Aislinn Desmond was also appointed to lead the Kerry Ladies through that year, doubling the sense of pride felt in the East Kerry outfit. But in 2022, Murphy lost his starting place for Kerry's first All-Ireland success in eight years. He had injury trouble that season, but he still brought impactful energy off the bench. One particular moment stands out for McCarthy: injury-time in a dramatic All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin. Murphy made his introduction in the 62nd minute. 'He was the one that hit the kick-pass for the free [on David Clifford] that Seanie Shea put over. So, he was doing well as the impact sub. He came on, freshened things up and probably had that sense of calm about him.' Paul Murphy carrying the ball for Rathmore in the 2023 All-Ireland intermediate final. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO Surely a frustrating time for Murphy, although the club would provide sanctuary for him later that season in the form of an All-Ireland intermediate title. 'That was obviously a massive thing for everyone on the club,' McCarthy says recalling the joy of that Croke Park triumph over Galbally Pearses of Tyrone. Related Reads David Clifford 'could be the best player that has ever played the game' - McGuinness 'It's challenging but it's adding to the entertainment' - Goalkeeper view on new rules 4 key talking points as Kerry, Meath, Dublin and Galway chase All-Ireland final place Club football is liberating for Murphy too. Where inter-county football can often be restrictive, there are more opportunities for him to explore the true depths of his skillset with Rathmore. 'When he comes in with the club, he does get that freedom. He might be out the field in the half-back line or we might shove him up to the half-forward line. We won the East Kerry championship last year and Paul was actually playing in midfield for the last 15 minutes. 'We were under serious pressure, and Paul was the one that settled the ship. He came up with scores to drag us over the line.' Kerry lost their All-Ireland title in 2023, but one upside for Murphy was that he had regained his starting position in the team. In a county of Kerry's large talent pool, his time in the exclusion zone could well have dragged on. Sometimes, there's no way to arrest the slide. But Crowley can attest to the extent of Murphy's resilience, as well as his ability to put the interests of the team above his own. 'That would be his attitude. He's a very good team player. He's always someone who would put the team first. I know from my time playing, and even more so since that, like, his own teammates would really value him. 'He's a very good man in the group, he's a very important person in the group. He brings the group together. He's always the fella in the WhatsApp group that's organising things. The younger fellows would really always kind of gravitate to him.' **** RTÉ's Up For The Match will feature the Rathmore club on this year's edition of the show that precedes the football decider. It's always an honour when they have representation in a Kerry jersey on All-Ireland final day. To have two players involved in central roles is all the more prestigious. And against their 2014 opponents Donegal to bring things full circle for Murphy. Rathmore reached the quarter-finals of the Kerry senior county championship last year, losing out to eventual winners Dr Crokes who would also go on to contest the All-Ireland semi-final. McCarthy awaits the return of Ryan to boost his attacking formation, and veteran defender Murphy who was once told he was too small for football. 'Paul mightn't have had the height but he was always fierce,' says McCarthy. 'He was a tenacious half back. He never shied away from anything. Paul went into every tackle. 'It'll be great to have the two boys back in, hopefully with a couple of more All-Ireland medals.'
The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
'Something to stick with you for life': Captaincy, lifting Sam, moving on after Kerry
THE SPECIALISTS FOR All-Ireland football occasions. Kerry's rich tradition has built up an array of experiences from which to drawn on for the showpiece day when Sam Maguire is handed out. 11 years ago, when Kerry and Donegal were previously acquainted in the decider, the last act of the afternoon saw Kieran O'Leary and Fionn Fitzgerald walk up the steps of the Hogan Stand to lift the trophy. Friends, Kerry team-mates and Dr Crokes colleagues – there was no grand design as to how they got there. Colm Cooper tore his cruciate that spring in Portlaoise in a club semi-final, the upshot of Kerry's embedded captaincy system saw the mantle of leadership transferred elsewhere. On Wednesday morning Fitzgerald and O'Leary gathered upstairs at Corkery's Sports Bar on High Street in Killarney to reflect on All-Ireland final days past and present. ***** Captaincy… Fionn Fitzgerald: 'We used to decide between ourselves in the club basically who was captain.' Kieran O'Leary: 'Gooch was the standout captain anyway in 2014.' FF: 'We went on seniority. We used to all meet, whoever was on the panel, and then Kieran was next in command. He didn't play the first game and then I was captain.' KOL: 'Johnny (Buckley) wasn't playing either.' FF: 'So I was like basically down the food chain! KOL: 'Obviously it was a great honor for me, but I didn't get a run in the first game I'd say either. I was brought on in every other game, but Fionn was starting, so that's the way it fell.' FF: 'Kieran would have done a lot of heavy lifting, I would have said he was the captain per se, organising all the bits and pieces. I was young, my second year of playing, so Kieran was more experienced. I was actually the official captain in 2018 and it was a complete disaster for me, I couldn't get in the team. It was between Gavin White or Shane Murphy, it was passed around a little bit. I would say the captaincy is a side thing. You just want to get on the team first.' KOL: 'Within the dressing room, your leaders are there anyway and the captaincy doesn't really come into it. That particular time in 2014, Declan O'Sullivan was monumental in the dressing room.' FF: 'You had Marc, (Aidan) Mahony, Donaghy… KOL: 'Moran . . . Leaders in the camp.' Kerry's Kieran O'Leary and Fionn Fitzgerald lift the Sam Maguire Cup. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO FF: 'I remember having this conversation with Michael Fennelly, he had the same issue with Kilkenny in 2009, he wasn't starting as captain but once he got on afterwards, he was a machine. The fact that we were buddies made it a bit more straightforward, it was harder on Kieran than it was on me. I saw that in 2018, I didn't even make the panel for one of the games, that was tougher. The younger you are, the tricker it is. Gavin White had it in 2019, I'd say it was trickier. He's a senior player now, he's a leader. You'd be extremely proud of Gavin.' KOL: 'It's a huge thing for the club. You look back on photographs, even the two of us lifting the cup. That's something to stick with you for life.' FF: 'Colm was our idol. That would have been his year to be captain. He got back to the panel for the final, but sure he didn't play for months after. That was just pure mental mental toughness.' KOL: 'How he was even training before that game . . . your man was up the tree (in Killarney) and Gooch was springing passes before an All-Ireland final. FF: 'Gooch is a baller. Physically he probably wasn't there yet, but mentally he was.' KOL: 'I think he didn't want it himself the fuss of going up to lift the cup. It was never a conversation. He was doing all he could to be a part of the actual panel, without taking (the attention) . . . ' FF: 'Ah that wouldn't be him . . . I remember during that week, we just agreed that Kieran would do the speech.' KOL: 'I wasn't guaranteed to get any game time either, I only got a minute or two at the end. It was definitely special, but we didn't say, 'Oh we'll lift the cup together.' It just happened. FF: 'I had nothing prepared to say anyway! So if you sent the mic over to me, I'd have gone on ad-lib.' KOL: 'I took down a few points alright, but sometimes you kind of have to wing it. You don't want to tempt fate and say, 'Listen, will I do the speech?' 'If you let that come into it, you're taking your eye off the game.' FF: 'It's a lovely moment to look back on. When you're older, like I think I'll enjoy this year and I enjoyed 2022. Everything ages probably a bit better when you get older. 'When you stop playing, like nothing will ever replace it. You can't do it like, even if you go coaching and managing, it's still different.' Kieran O'Leary and Fionn Fitzgerald board the train to Tralee with the Sam Maguire in 2014. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO ***** All-Ireland championship experiences… Football was hardwired into their DNA from young, kicking around on the Lewis Road with Dr Crokes, graduating to trips across to Fitzgerald Stadium. Croke Park days beckoned them as supporters in the stand and later as players on the pitch. FF: 'I remember '97 final, but I wasn't at it. My mother is from Dublin and we would have gone up to Dublin then. And then the first All-Ireland I was at was 2000 against Galway, went to both games. That was very good Galway team, Padraic Joyce's generation. Declan Meehan hit some goal, the overhead pass from Paul Clancy into him.' KOL: 'I'd say my first game was Kildare in '98. I remember the homecoming in '97 alright. They weren't as prolific through those years.' FF: '2000 onwards then they were rocking. You're going to Croke Park every year. My mother's from Blanchardstown, so we would have gone up and got the train into Drumcondra and away you go then. Her family would've been Brigid's in Dublin, but not hugely, my mother's living down here for maybe 30, 40 years now.' KOL: 'The train up was always unreal craic, especially when we were young, up with the lads.' FF: 'When we played, from semi-final onwards, it would've been train up.' KOL: 'We sometimes got cars to Adare to the Woodlands and then bus to Dublin in later years for other games.' FF: 'The train is better because you sit back and relax.' KOL: 'Up on the Saturday. You had your routine, we always used to stay in Dunboyne, Kerry are still staying there.' FF: 'It's a lovely town, you can just walk into town and no one ever bothers you. We'd a kickaround the night before then, a club pitch right next to us.' Advertisement KOL: 'There was always something to be doing with the lads. The time flew, whereas if you were going up in the morning . . . ' FF: 'I'd hate that. Some people say they love staying in their own bed. You get more time together and you're more relaxed. You know, it's big time as well when you're on the train.' KOL: 'I joined the Kerry senior panel in 2006, the year we won against Mayo. I was number 29, 30, way down the pecking order and I got injured before the final playing a county league game. I was actually going quite quite well at the time, but I had still no chance of playing. 'Sure the players on show at that time were unbelievable.' Kerry's Kieran O'Leary. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO FF: 'The forwards were frightening.' KOL: 'When you're in that bubble, you're blinkered. That's all that matters. As I got older, I've learned to relax more. When you're in it, nothing else gets in the way. It takes over your life. I'm glad I'm out of it now if that makes sense. Kids, family, wife, different businesses. I couldn't do both now. I'm way more relaxed playing club football now. 'The other side of it though is I wasn't a certainty. I was playing an All-Ireland final every night in training in order to even try to be picked. 'Obviously I would have been close enough to Colm. But you'd Donaghy, Galvin, Darran, Declan, Bryan Sheehan was floating around, Mike Frank was there when I started it. 'It was crazy stuff, but you would have learned a lot off a lot of them, even the way they commanded respect within the dressing room. They were just winners.' FF: 'Your game complimented a lot of them. You weren't an out and out 0-10 or 2-5 player, and over the years those kind of players didn't make it with Kerry. That's why you probably did get longer out of it.' KOL: 'I find with younger fellas they're aiming to impress, thinking they have to go out and score. You have to relax and play your own game. There was such a calibre of player, so I was just trying to do my own thing. It worked sometimes and other times it didn't. FF: 'I joined the senior panel in 2012. We lost to Crossmaglen with Crokes, All-Ireland semi-final, and I was brought in after that, Jack's last year and then I got into the team in 2013. ''14 was my first experience of a of a final. We were coming off the high of the Mayo game, that was a fairly emotional rollercoaster. The panel was in a very good place, nearly every single player played in the Mayo game. So there was a great buzz. County wise that was the best game, all the stuff that went on, your man coming in on the sideline, fellas getting knocked out, it was just bananas stuff. Just a pure attritional game.' Kerry's Fionn Fitzgerald and Paul Murphy with Andy Moran of Mayo. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO KOL: 'In order to win though, you need that rub of green. Kieran Donaghy got no game against Galway, ended up getting an All-Star. Something turned that year, Limerick was the making of us. FF: 'The first game though, we were done basically. Coming down on the bus that day, we were psyched. It's not on in Croke Park, there's an American Football game on and it'll have to be somewhere else. Where'll it be? Thurles? Then it was Limerick. Sure that's great, it was just different. We stayed in the Brehon the night before and went up from there. Which is unusual to stay in Killarney, but it was just to kind of stay together.' KOL: 'Mayo, I'd say that was their greatest chance ever. The first day particularly, that was their chance to put us away.' For the point to level, Declan O'Sullivan is outside me. It was just the way the angle was, it just suited with the left leg.' FF: 'He saw the limelight!' KOL: 'Yeah, I saw the headlines! But Jesus we got out of jail. Even the ball Moran kicked into Donaghy for the goal, not too many fellas would win that kind of a ball, you know what I mean?' ***** The end of days with Kerry… 2014 was the inter-county peak for both, the joyous scenes they viewed from the podium. Kerry lost at the same stage twelve months later against Dublin and by the time they reached the decider again in 2019, both O'Leary and Fitzgerald had seen their playing connection with Kerry cut. FF: 'My last year was 2018. To be honest, at the time anyway I found football tougher. If it was as exciting as it has been this year, I think you'd really feel you'd missed out. I just didn't feel that way.' I went to America to New York, I'd the best summer ever. I hadn't ever got a chance to do any of those things, so I had no major kind of hang up or regret. 'I just wasn't playing well in 2018. My form wasn't great. Crokes and Kerry had been going on for a good few years and just my form wasn't good, so probably getting a reset in 2019 and just playing club football, I definitely got back enjoying football more.' KOL: 'In 2015 I got injured, tore my Achilles tendon, in the training camp, one of the last sessions over in Portugal. It was nightmare stuff and then I was left off the panel in 2016. 'I found it hard to get back, but that's just the way it went. I felt there was a bit of pressure personally trying to get on the team all the time. 'Then when I was gone from the county I started enjoying football with the club.' FF: 'I'd say Crokes is a good landing for us in those situations. We were lucky what we come back to. We had great camaraderie, while we didn't always do well for a couple of those years, we had a great team and had great social life with it.' Dr Crokes' Kieran O'Leary. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO Fionn Fitzgerald in action for Dr Crokes. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO KOL: 'I suppose the aspiration was always there to try and win silverware and then you're going straight from a county set up into a club that's trying to achieve good things. 'I was definitely a bit resentful when I was dropped alright though, like I was a bit thick about it. 'It came at a time that I was coming back from my injury. I probably wasn't playing well, form wasn't great, but I still felt I deserved a bit more of a chance. 'But there was younger players coming through and to be fair, they deserved their crack as well. 'Now I'm completely okay with it. It was actually Eamonn (Fitzmaurice) that rang me and said you're not a part of the panel anymore, which was gutting at the time. 'Now I look back on it I can see I got great innings out of it, climbing the steps of the Hogan with Fionn, fantastic friends, fantastic memories out of it. 'We travelled the world when we were in All-Ireland finals, fantastic team trips, even training camps, it was just class to be a part of. It's something I always look back on with immense pride.' ****** David Clifford's genius… The sporting wonder from Fossa. Three kilometres separate the club pitch where Clifford honed his skills and the sporting base where O'Leary and Fitzgerald are located. Their range of experiences with Kerry's star man are many and varied. KOL: 'I went to Two Mile National School, outside Killarney, and he lived up there. That's where my mother is from Fossa. We went into the same primary school, obviously I was a lot older. 'He lives just below my grandmother and my godmother used to mind him, his brother Paudie as well, and I used to be in the same house. 'Then we would have come across him with the Sem . . . St Brendan's in the Hogan Cup and he's obviously just gone from strength to strength since.' Kerry's David Clifford. Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO Tom O'Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO FF: 'About 15, 16, he had the reputation. Even his first year minor, both legs he was kicking serious scores and making it look easy.' KOL: 'A completely grounded man though.' FF: 'Still the exact same. A great fella. He loves sport and very easy company. When he was 17 he finished his Leaving went to Tralee and I was lecturing, so I had him in college. He was very young and at the time there was talk of the Aussies after him, but he was just a very grounded guy and solid.' KOL: 'We played them (East Kerry) in the county championship in 2019 in the final. We were going well that day and next thing he pops out of nowhere with a goal from and that was us gone.' FF: 'They were very hungry at the time, they were coming and we were slipping down a bit. Fossa now, he's been incredible for, they're on the up and he's been a huge part of that.' ***** Facing Donegal . . . The Kerry-Donegal modern history focuses on two specific games. The 2012 quarter-final, a step on the road to Donegal's phenomenal triumph. The 2014 final, where Kerry turned them over and savoured the satisfaction of an unlikely title. FF: 'I wasn't playing in 2012, I was a sub, but the big thing that stood out, their fitness was incredible. Their game plan and getting all fellas back, but even at the end of the game, they were bombing forward.' KOL: 'I remember that game after thinking, 'Jesus that's one that got away from us.' Michael Murphy came in after into the dressing room and he spoke excellently. Very respectful. The fact that they beat us was a huge thing for them on their journey at the time.' FF: 'Our game against Mayo in 2014 was like war of attrition, theirs against Dublin was a smash and grab, a tactical masterclass really. The final then between us was just a tactical battle. It wasn't a good watch.' KOL: 'Defensive . . . it was a poor final.' FF: 'Sure what did we score, only 2-9? I never watched that game, I watched about 15 minutes of it during the week, the first 15 minutes, just to kind of get some bit of a read. There was a lot of misses like on both sides. Paul Geaney got the early goal and Donaghy got the other. Tactically we knew what we were doing and we stuck to it, we were disciplined in what we did. I think the emotional high of the semi-finals probably took a little bit out for them and for us.' KOL: 'It's getting over the line. Especially with Colm getting injured, Kerry weren't given a great chance to win that year. A few harsh team meetings throughout the year. It was a fantastic year looking back on it, but it was definitely ups and downs.' FF: 'We had a very united panel though. Our A versus B games were ferocious at the time. I used to be marking Leary at lot, plenty of black eyes! KOL: 'Jeez, I don't know about that!' ***** Dr Crokes lads . . . All-Ireland final day is a national occasion, yet there are local angles everywhere. Seven Dr Crokes players (Gavin White, Mark O'Shea, Micheál Burns, Shane Murphy, Evan Looney, Tony Brosnan, and Charlie Keating) have been members of the Kerry ranks this year. Some of those individual stories stand out among the wider narrative. Burns was sent to the Kerry exit door after 2023 but has returned in style in 2025. O'Shea is the late developer who has commanded gametime at the top this summer. Looney is the next emerging talent rolled off the conveyor belt. Kerry's Micheál Burns James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO FF: 'I remember chatting to Mícheál a week or two after and he was obviously gutted that he was gone from Kerry I just was like, 'Man, you're just going to see it from a totally different position.' I guarantee you, you will have the best year of your life. You just knew America would suit him.' KOL: 'I thought he was dead right to go (to Chicago for summer 2024). He puts a lot of pressure on himself as well. I'd say Kerry was done for him.' FF: 'Oh 100% there was no way he was coming back with Kerry at the time.' KOL: 'But he just was excellent with Crokes, he just enjoyed his football. Pat (O'Shea) was a big thing for him as well, even though they clashed at times no doubt, he was good for Mícheál.' FF: 'I think if Kerry was majorly in his head still, I'm not sure that it would have been as loose for the year. Sometimes people are gone and the first thing is they are chasing to get back in straight away. I think that's the worst mistake ever by anyone. If you're cut, just leave it go and it'll naturally come around if you're good enough or if it's right.' KOL: 'If he still had an inkling that Kerry was a possibility, he would have been trying to do his own thing rather than play the way we wanted to play as a team. Obviously he played so well for us and he was scoring and there was no pressure on him to perform.' FF: 'He was more mature, he was able to handle all situations very well, good things, bad things. He's close to 30 now at this stage. Kerry's Mark O'Shea. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO Mark and Evan then are interesting ones. Mark would be a late enough developer. If you see pictures of Mark when he was under 14, 15, 16, he was really small. Played no minor, no U21 with Kerry. But you see Mark played a lot of basketball, comes from a good family, he's Pat's nephew, Seanie's son. Tough and would have the right attitude. Remember when he came into the Crokes at the start? He was small and light, now he has the size.' KOL: 'He's after growing out and putting on good muscle. Two years ago you would have said about Mark, he's a very good club player but will he play county? Now you would say he has to be playing county, just the presence and the smarts and the ball skills.' FF: 'I think the physical development of him has given him more confidence because you marked him a few years ago and probably get stuck into and push him around, now he just has that wingspan and he's dominant. Evan then just has an incredible attitude. Bit of a fighter. Didn't play minor, played U20. He's very driven. You could definitely see him slotting into that Kerry team over the next few years because he's suited to the modern game. He's smart on the ball, he's athletic.' Kerry's Evan Looney. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO KOL: 'The boys have played themselves on it. I know by default Mark probably got in there because with injuries, Diarmaid, Barry Dan and everything. But he, and Evan's the same, they've just played well to get themselves onto the team. I'm buzzing for them, I think they've contributed massively this year to the group, all of them. Obviously Gavin as captain is a big thing. For himself, you'd love to see him get over the line to just to get up the steps. I'm really looking forward to the weekend myself because you'll meet old teammates, you'll have a few beers and you'll enjoy the the whole occasion of the All-Ireland final.' FF: 'I would say even away from it being a Kerry game, football has been brilliant this year. Everyone's falling back in love with it again, so that's a huge plus. If this was Kerry and Donegal last year, I don't think that the interest is as high. And it is nice that we have a good few involved. You're supporting Kerry and then you're supporting your own team-mates. 11 years on, it's nice to be going back against Donegal.' *****
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Extra.ie
How Donegal's defence can cope with David Clifford
There was a moment of levity during Jim McGuinness's press conference ahead of the All-Ireland final. The Donegal manager was asked when he knew that Finnbarr Roarty, the fresh-faced teenage defender who has been one of the revelations of this summer, was ready for senior inter-county football. 'I would say about a year ago I thought he might have been good enough, but I was a day out on my calculation!' McGuinness smiled, a reference to how he handed Roarty his senior debut in a McKenna Cup game, despite him still being a minor, which was against GAA rules and resulted in Donegal getting a slap on the wrists. But it did show how long the youngster, a clubmate of the manager in Naomh Conaill, has been on the radar. One of the big questions that surrounded Donegal ahead of this season was how McGuinness would adjust his team's defensive structure and shape to the new rules. While much of how they defend remains based on a system — and how they like to set up zonally just inside the arc — they have adapted it to the new game. Even with 11 v 11, he has trusted his team's shape. Finnbarr Roarty has been one of the revelations of this summer. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie 'That is probably the one thing that has surprised me about Donegal this season,' says Eamon McGee, the All-Ireland-winning corner-back in 2012. 'McGuinness came back last year and loved his defensive shape, and I wondered if he would remain true to that there or is he going more to a hybrid approach where he is getting out and putting the pressure on. 'But he's stayed true to that. I'm surprised that he's able to work it out, and they've been very brave, in fairness to Donegal, how they defended those zones and how they're leaving that third zone, nearly man-free. There's one man keeping an eye on it, but they're getting across so quick. From a defensive perspective, I'm surprised that they're able to manage it as well as they have.' McGuinness has been able to make it work because of the quality of defenders they have, and the speed at which they can move into a zone if they sense danger. Tyrone's decision to go man-on-man against Kerry resulted in David Clifford filling his boots on Padraig Hampsey, scoring 1-9 and probably leaving another couple of goals out on Croke Park. It was clear from early on that Hampsey was left too isolated, especially given how wide open his team were down the central channel where Joe O'Connor had a field day and roughly half of Kerry's 10 goalscoring opportunities originated. That is one area Kerry may find clogged upon Sunday, particularly if Caolan McGonagle returns to centre half-back. David Clifford has been in red-hot form for Kerry. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile And while the Ulster champions are wedded to the zonal system, defenders are still required to win their individual battles. One-on-one defending still matters. Roarty's ability to strip the ball from an opponent — most clearly seen in dispossessing Meath's Keith Curtis in the semi-final to start the move that led to Ciaran Moore's goal — is reminiscent of Karl Lacey in his pomp, as both McGuinness and McGee have pointed out. 'He punches above his weight in many respects and doesn't fear anybody,' McGuinness said of Roarty. 'There's an innocence to that but a courageousness as well. He's a brilliant tackler. I can see him taking the ball off Aidan O'Shea in Roscommon that day, that's not an easy task. Karl Lacey in his pomp. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile '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. They absolutely love him. When he gets a turnover now, I think it's as big a cheer as you're going to get for a point because he is so honest. ' McGee agreed with those sentiments. 'He is so good at sniffing danger and getting to the danger. His ability to rob a man reminds me of Lacey, who was like a boxer with quick hands and able to get the ball without getting the foul on. You watch Finbarr when he gets near the man. How many times we've seen it this summer, where Finbarr's getting the hand in, gets it away. 'He's brought so much to that defensive unit. And remember, Finbarr's coming from an era where he's been brought up in blanket defences, so a lot of those defensive skills were neglected, they weren't coached, it about getting everybody back, and the group, rather than the individual. For him to come out, and in the manner that he has, it's a testament to his club and his coaches and to himself.' Brendan McCole will likely be assigned the most difficult job in Gaelic football and asked to limit the damage that Clifford does in the final. There has been some speculation that Donegal may remain true to their zonal system elsewhere and McCole will be the only one tasked with a specific man-marking role, although the manner in which Ryan McHugh curtailed Rory Grugan's influence in the Ulster final suggests he may be the player to tag Paudie Clifford. Brendan McCole will likely be assigned the most difficult job in Gaelic football. Pic: INPHO/Leah Scholes But all eyes will be on McCole and how he handles Clifford. In his understated way, the Mountcharles native has grown into arguably the most consistent full-back in the country over the past couple of years and his ability to read the game and sense danger are two of his most impressive attributes, both of which he will need in spades on Sunday. His policing of Matthew Costello in the semi-final underlined his ability. 'McCole has been tasked with the danger man in every game, and he keeps an eye on his man while reading the game,' McGee says. 'If you look at the players who are dubbed man-markers most of them aren't able to do that, they are just focused on their direct opponent. But McCole is able to read the game, he's always aware of where his man is and when to stand off. He's hands-on at times, but he doesn't bring any of the sledging or verbals nonsense.' McGuinness has re-designed parts of his defensive shape to fit into the new game, but he still trusts his players in their individual battle. McCole has the hardest job of all on Sunday, but if his teammates sense trouble, their system means they can move at speed to help — and how they try to nullify the Kerry threats is just one of the reasons Sunday's game is so intriguing.
