Tomás Ó Sé has said that Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice and underage star David Clifford will have to show patience this season ahead of the Kingdom’s Allianz National League opener against Donegal this weekend.
Clifford has been hailed as one of the most impressive minor players to ever play Gaelic Football, and after turning down the advances of the AFL last year, the Fossa forward has committed his future to Kerry football.
Kerry have won the last three All-Ireland minor titles and a number of players from those sides are now poised to make a breakthrough to the senior team this season.
Ó Sé, speaking to RTE’s Morning Ireland on Friday morning, said that Kerry have to be patient with their next generation of players and that he (and everyone else) is intrigued to see what sort of side Fitzmaurice fields against Donegal on Sunday.
“A lot of people weren’t happy at the way Kerry exited the championship last year against Mayo, so we need to blood some of these youngsters now,” said Ó Sé.
“We have to be patient. Eamonn Fitzmaurice has to be patient, even the likes of David Clifford has to be patient.
“I would also look at the likes of Sean O’Shea, Jason Foley, Shane Murphy in goal and Jack Barry. So there, you have a third of a team that could put up their hands for championship football.
“I’ll be in Killarney on Sunday for the game against Donegal and it will be interesting to see what team Eamonn Fitz puts out.”
In Clifford’s 12 minor appearances, over 2016 and 2017, he scored a total 10-68, of which 10-50 came from play.
His rich vein of form attracted interest from several clubs in Australia’s AFL last year but he turned down the chance of a professional career in order to fulfill his dream of playing for Kerry.
Appearing on Radio Kerry’s ‘Terrace Talk’ last year, the forward told Tim Moynihan that he would “definitely” be committing to the Kerry football panel in 2018. “My mother wouldn’t let me go,” he joked.
“Of course [I have thought about it] and there are a lot of alluring factors that might lure you in.
“But the one thing, personally and it’s something I’ve said to some of my friends, I grew up dreaming of playing for Kerry. I never grew up dreaming of being an Aussie Rules player.
“Obviously, as you say, the weather down there may be better and it’s a professional game but in my near future I’m just hoping to keep progressing in the Kerry jersey and the Fossa jersey too.”
