It may, in time, be remembered as the Murphy v Clifford final – when Goliath faced Goliath in Gaelic football’s showpiece event.
Several unlikely scenarios had to come to fruition for Michael Murphy and David Clifford to wind up here in Croke Park on All-Ireland final day.
This time last year, Murphy was 20 months retired and was spending his summers analysing the championship as a pundit. Then, last November, everything changed. Two years after stepping away, Murphy announced he was returning to play for his county.
If it ultimately transpires that the Glenswilly man’s return is just for one season, it seems a fitting stage from which to sign off – Donegal’s greatest ever footballer up against the player many deem to be Gaelic football’s greatest ever.
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Sunday’s game will be just the fourth championship meeting of the counties but Murphy and Clifford did swap scores at Croke Park in the last championship match between the sides, a 2019 drawn round-robin fixture.
It was only Clifford’s second year playing at senior level. Murphy made his debut in 2007.
Murphy finished that game with 1-7, his goal coming from the penalty spot, while Clifford scored 0-3.
The pair enter Sunday’s final as their respective teams’ chief attacking weapons.
Murphy (35) is the only player to have scored in all ten of Donegal’s championship games this year – leading the way as their chief marksman with a personal tally of 0-44.
Clifford (26) is the only Kerry player to have scored in all eight of their games this summer. The Fossa man is well clear at the top of the overall scoring charts in this year’s championship, with a remarkable haul of 8-53 so far.
I knew he wouldn’t come back in unless he believed in his heart that he would be able to really contribute
— Jim McGuinness
Murphy’s ability to slot back in as if he never left the top level of the game hasn’t come as a shock to his teammates.
“It hasn’t surprised me. There isn’t a lot more that you can say about Michael, to be honest,” says Ryan McHugh.
“He is a phenomenal footballer, but it’s the way he lives his life outside of football. He lives like a professional person and the way he conducts himself – he’s a real role model and an unbelievable ambassador for our county.
“For him to come back in the shape he was in didn’t surprise me. I knew he would keep himself in good shape and we saw him in the club championship.
“There are no words. People from all over Ireland are starting to get it now. He’s a phenomenal person and a phenomenal leader and a phenomenal footballer.”
Donegal have been doubling down for the last fortnight on their message that Murphy is not carrying an injury ahead of Sunday’s final.
He was taken off after 45 minutes of his side’s semi-final win over Meath. Members of the Donegal medical staff immediately checked on the 2012 All-Ireland winning captain when he came off the field.
But Jim McGuinness poured cold water on any talk of an injury in his post-match press conference. At Donegal’s media night two days later, he maintained that stance.
“He’s fine, he’s fine. He was a wee bit tight going into the game so we didn’t want to be taking any risks. He’s fine, he’s 100 per cent,” said McGuinness of Murphy.
Either way, there is little doubt Murphy’s return this season has been a catalyst for Donegal to progress to Sunday’s decider.
“When he did come back in, I knew he wouldn’t come back in unless he believed in his heart that he would be able to really contribute,” added McGuinness.
[ Darragh Ó Sé: The margins are tight but Kerry have one thing that Donegal don’tOpens in new window ]
“He’s not that kind of fella. We’re delighted to have him back. I think the other players that came back in as well have massively helped the depth in the squad, which was lacking last year.”
McHugh’s presence has been huge, too. The Kilcar clubman, who made his debut in 2013, stepped away from the Donegal panel during the 2023 season but returned ahead of got back involved for 2024.
“I didn’t want to make the decision to step away from the Donegal squad, but unfortunately with different things I did,” he said.
“Coming back in at the end of 2023, I was really refreshed and ready to go. We had Jim coming back too which gave everything a massive lift too. I’m happy with where I’m at as a player and happy where we’re at as a group.
“I supposed I was fortunate enough in 2014 to be on the team and getting to the All-Ireland final that day, you thought that you’d get a chance to get back to another one. That didn’t happen, but to get back here 11 years later is great. It’ll mean nothing if we can’t get over the line.
“Kerry are a top team with top players and arguably, in my opinion anyway, the best player to play the game. But this is where you want to be as a player, getting ready for an All-Ireland final.”
The 2014 All-Ireland decider is one of his only games McHugh has never rewatched.
“I don’t think I played well that day, just could never bring myself to (watch it),” he added.
“It was a tough one, there’s no point in lying. I was fortunate to get back in with my club, Kilcar, a week later. It still haunts you. You go into the game on such a high, we did everything so right against Dublin and then not to click against Kerry.
“Obviously Kerry had a good performance, but it was such a disappointment for us. You move on, but you don’t get over defeats like that. Even if we won this one, it wouldn’t get over 2014. We were in a position to win the All-Ireland final and we didn’t do it.”
But McHugh, Murphy and Donegal get another chance this Sunday.
