Clifford back with a bang as his hat-trick steers Kerry to victory over Tyrone
February 23, 2025
Kerry's David Clifford celebrates the first of his three goals against Tyrone ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty
David Clifford struck 3-3 in his first start of the season as Kerry came from behind to defeat Tyrone by 3-13 to 2-13 in Pomeroy this afternoon.
Both sides were in sore need of a win coming into this one, having lost two of their first three outings in Division 1, and it was Jack O’Connor’s men that made the better start at the rearranged Plunkett Park venue.
The Kingdom raced out to a 0-4 to 0-0 lead after eight minutes ahead of the Red Hands settling in with the help of two Michael McKernan two-pointers and another from Conn Kilpatrick.
Darragh Canavan would come off the bench to make his first appearance of the season for the hosts and he helped their momentum, with his free pushing them out to a 0-9 to 0-5 lead in the 27th minute.
The Errigal Ciaran star would nail a two-pointer before Clifford got in for his first goal three minutes before half-time, when Tyrone took in a 0-11 to 1-5 lead.
Canavan netted a goal of his own nine minutes into the restart but it’d be erased by Clifford’s second major minutes later and, even after Mark Bradley rebounded in his saved penalty, the Munster champions were still able to prevail with the points.
Dylan Casey and Paul Geaney (free) shot points that trimmed their team’s deficit to three before Clifford completed his hat-trick to square things. The Kerry superstar added two more frees prior to being blacked carded and Graham O’Sullivan’s point at the death helped cement the crucial three-point win for the visitors.
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— The GAA (@officialgaa) February 23, 2025
No shortage of goals today as Kerry edge out Tyrone thanks to an inspired David Clifford hat-trick 🌟@TyroneGAALive 2-13@Kerry_Official 3-13#GAANOW #AllianzLeagues pic.twitter.com/HduT2JrDj3
