All Ireland Glory The Dream For Kildare’s Clifford

Being forced to sit out of the 2016 Final win due to injury, seven years later Kildare captain Grace Clifford is hoping to live the dream and captain her county to success this Sunday.

This will be the third outing for the Eadestown midfielder on All Ireland Final Day, her first came in defeat to Waterford in 2015, but an undiagnosed injury that year ruled her out for the following year’s triumph over Clare.

Clifford tore her ACL during the 2015 season, not knowing the extent of the damage until after the league in 2016, she was forced to play at active part from the side-line that day, returning to play at headquarters on Sunday could land her that dream moment of walking the sacred steps and lifting the Mary Quinn Cup.

“I had the opportunity to put my boots on and be on the field with the girl’s that day, I was fortunate enough to be water girl so I was close and I was able to run onto the pitch when that final whistle went in 2016. Obviously you know for that to happen again on Sunday with the team and to experience that they’re memories that last a lifetime so I’m hopeful please God that’ll be the way it will be on Sunday afternoon.”

The Lilywhites have been very much a success story in 2023, they were crowned Division 3 League champions earlier this year, they recorded consecutive wins in Leinster and now for the first time since 2016 are back to state their ambition to bring All Ireland silver back down the M7.

Kidare also contested this year’s Minor U18 A All Ireland Final, falling to Galway, Clifford says however the county has been behind them for the last few weeks now, the colours are everywhere and they are really looking forward to their date with destiny this weekend.

“Atmosphere’s really good, everyone’s really looking forward to Sunday. The county there’s a great buzz, our minors were in the All Ireland Final on Saturday and unfortunately they didn’t get over the line against Galway. Everyone was behind them so the white flags and bunting is being very much out and around the county, so it’s kind of created a lovely buzz and atmosphere so we’re all just really looking forward to getting there you know, it feels so far away still you know we’re just kind of dying for it to be Sunday now.”

Sunday is the biggest day in the calendar for Ladies Gaelic Footballers, the chance to represent the county on the biggest stage, the biggest game, Clifford says naturally nerves exist in the squad, but also brings it back down to just how special a moment it is.

“It’s kinda what dreams are made of isn’t it, I suppose like when you’re five or six years old out in your back garden you know playing a pretend All Ireland Final. You’re thinking of that and you’re nearly practising walking behind the band, it’s surreal enough to be in that situation but really really exciting, that’s what you play for.

Naturally as we were talking about amongst the squad, there’s going to be nerves and people are going to be thinking of all these thoughts and what not, but as we always kinda bring ourselves back, you know this is what you play for, this is when you’re a youngster putting on the boots and going out, it’s dreams of playing on All Ireland Final Day, dreams of being in Croke Park, dreams of representing your county on the biggest stage.

So when you think of all those things you’re like no this is what it’s all for, so we’re all like looking forward to it in that sense.”

Speaking at the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Finals Captains Day earlier this week, the Kildare captain was pitch side ahead of Sunday and was taken back by the size of Croke Park, walking past the Hogan Stand also where the dream can be made on Sunday for the captain, a role not everyone gets especially to lead a team to All Ireland glory, it is the dream of anyone, but she states it’s a normal game played with the same conditions as every other game.

“That kinda dream of walking the Hogan Stand, the steps of it, it’s one of those things I think of in every GAA fanatics I suppose mind, it’s kinda what you think is it ever gonna happen, you know. It doesn’t happen an awful lot of people, it’s only the few fortunate that get that opportunity. Obviously like you’re thinking of those little things but ultimately it’s like no look it’s a game of football, it’s two goals, it’s grass pitch, you gotta go out and we’ll get the job done and that’s kinda more the focus.

I know that was what I was nearly more distracted by was looking at the pitch going oh my God, it just looks like you could nearly eat your dinner off it. It’s just exciting, I’m looking forward to getting out on a big pitch like that and so are the rest of the girl’s”.

Kildare have had huge numbers at games from the league right through to Championship, Sunday will be the same. The Lilywhites bring their colour and noise from St Conleth’s Park around the country.

Acting almost as a 16th player, they get behind the team from the word go, Clifford know’s Clare will also bring huge numbers and that it will be another close encounter between these two juggernauts, but also hopes that Sunday’s attendance figure will hopefully smash the previous records.

“To be honest that’s kinda been like how the games have been going for us, up until now we’ve had huge support, like I can’t put into words the amount of people that have been coming to our games. From our opening game of the league in St Conleth’s Park you know a wet miserable day in early February and we had a great turnout there. Obviously we’re hoping for the same and I’ve no doubt’s that Clare will have their crew up as well. It’ll be a great game like you know, people know we played each other before in two close encounters, I’ve no doubt the final will be the very same.

So it’s going to be a cracker, please god we have a huge number, obviously the numbers at the Ladies games have been growing the last number of years so I’ve no doubts that they’ll be breaking more records on Sunday.”