Fossa have been crowned All-Ireland junior club football champions, overcoming Tyrone's Stewartstown Harps on a scoreline of 0-19 to 1-13 at Croke Park this afternoon.
With David Clifford and Paudie Clifford in their ranks, the Kerry club were seen as the strong favourites ahead of the game. They had been largely untroubled in their run up to this point in the competition, although they certainly would not have it all their own way on this occasion.
Fossa's first point came from a familiar source, with David Clifford producing a fantastic score inside the first five minutes.
5 nóim
@An_Chraobh 0-01@FossaGaa 0-01
Cúilín deas ó David Clifford le haghaidh An Fosadh!
Lovely point from David Clifford! 👌
#GAABEO #TheToughest @GAA_BEO | @officialgaa | @AIB_GAA
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/TVcsLfRFin— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 15, 2023
However, Stewartstown would have the better of the play for most of the opening half.
That included from Gareth Devlin, although the Fossa goalkeeper would have hoped to have done better with the high ball into the square.
24 nóim
@An_Chraobh 1-05@FossaGaa 0-05
Cúl cliste ó Gareth Devlin le haghaidh An Chraobh Na Cláirseacha!
Fantastic goal from Devlin taking the lead for the Stewartstown Harps! 👌
#GAABEO #TheToughest @GAA_BEO | @officialgaa | @AIB_GAA
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/7L4BwSNCJn— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 15, 2023
After the interval, Fossa seemed to kick into another gear.
Having trailed by three points at halftime, they quickly found themselves in front on the back of some excellent scores such as this one from Paudie Clifford.
32 nóim
@An_Chraobh 1-07@FossaGaa 0-08
Tús maith leis an dara leath le cúilín deas ó Paudie Clifford!
Fossa kick off the second half with a fantastic point! 👌
#GAABEO #TheToughest @GAA_BEO | @officialgaa | @AIB_GAA
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/AoN48RxAne— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 15, 2023
A turning point in the game came in the 37th minute, with Stewartstown full back Darren Devlin sent off for striking an opposition player off the ball.
While the scoreline would remain tight throughout, Fossa always looked like favourites from this point on.
David Clifford continued to produce in the closing stages, scoring a number of brilliant points.
36 nóim
@An_Chraobh 0-09@FossaGaa 1-07
Imirt suimiúil ansin agus cúilín faighte ag David Clifford!
Nice point for Fossa from David Clifford! 👌
#GAABEO #TheToughest @GAA_BEO | @officialgaa | @AIB_GAA
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/BfLZGIerrH— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 15, 2023
In the end, he would finish with a personal tally of 0-11.
He would also be sent off late on after receiving two yellow cards, with his brother Paudie also an off the ball incident. Stewartstown Harps would also have three more players sent off, with six men getting the line in total.
One of them involved a very nasty tackle on Paudie Clifford himself.
Disgusting carry on!! Not once did Paudie Clifford react & that's why they are so admired.#GAA #GAABEO #Fossa pic.twitter.com/Udu1bcJbHv
— L. NíHéineacháin (@LaobhaoiseNihE) January 15, 2023
Despite some late drama with the red cards, Fossa would manage to get over the line.
Paudie Clifford calls out officials after Fossa win
The six red cards certainly did mar what was an otherwise brilliant game, with some nasty challenges put in on both sides.
Paudie Clifford received his red for seemingly making contact with the face of an opposition player during an altercation while they were lying on the ground.
You can watch the incident below.
For the avoidance of any doubt Mr Clifford🤡🤡 pic.twitter.com/a6V1Rr5oLa
— Aoibhinn Hughes (@aoibhinn_h) January 15, 2023
There has been some debate over whether the incident merited the sending off, although the player himself was not pleased.
Fossa's captain, Paudie Clifford would use the trophy acceptance speech as an opportunity to call out the officials for their decision to send him off.
Paudie Clifford with the worst/best winning speech ever 😂😂😂
"To the ref and his officials.." pic.twitter.com/7otWVeCb5V— Eoin Ó Muimhneacháin (@Moyno_4) January 15, 2023
It's an unbelievable pleasure to be up here in front of such a special group of players and supporters. What an unbelievable feeling...
To the referee and his officials, obviously it was a tough game to ref there at the end. You did a good job, other than at the end when I was wrongly sent off. It was unbelievable how I was sent off, but a great job all around.
To Stewartstown, an unbelievably hard running team, we were seriously up against it there. I know there was the bit at the end, but ye are a great team and fair play to ye. I'm sure ye will give the intermediate in Tyrone a run next year.
You could hear the awkward silence in Croke Park after the comment was made.
Despite an odd speech, Paudie Clifford will be pleased with his contribution in the final.
We're sure the celebrations in Fossa will go long into the night.
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