David, the Goliath that Castletown must contain
ALL-IRELAND CLUB JFC Odds stacked against Leinster champions
In the classic musical - 'The Sound of Music' - there's a song that relates to the main character, Maria. Maria has an independent spirit which makes her stand out prompting a number of nuns in the convent where she is based to ask, through song, "How do you solve a problem like Maria?"
The question has some relevance to Castletown and their quest to defeat Kerry side Fossa in today's All-Ireland Club JFC semi-final at Portlaoise, 2pm.
As the countdown to one of the biggest days in the club's long history continues those involved in running the team are left to grapple with the question. "How do we solve a problem like David Clifford?"
The young Kerryman is by general agreement the best player in the country right now, a real handful, and the evidence suggest he could guide his team to success on Saturday.
To underline just how much of a threat this forward of forwards poses you only have to reflect on the startling fact that he scored 20-169 in 2022 with club and county. Some of the honours he won in '22 include the Sam Maguire with Kerry, the Kerry SFC with East Kerry, the Kerry JFC and the Munster Club JFC. Oh yes, he's also the Footballer of the Year.
It was a year the honours and the plaudits flowed his way like a stream flowing down a Kerry mountain and now Castletown are faced with the thorny - perhaps even impossible problem - of trying to stem the cascade of scores this wonder footballer, no-one seems able to stop, has clocked up.
Not that David Clifford is the only problem Castletown face. There's also the small matter of brother Paudie, another Fossa tour de force who is an outstanding player in his own right, his threat underlined in the way he scored 1-4 in the Munster Club final victory over Kilmurray, a game in which David notched 10 points, seven frees. Paudie is also a classy defender and midfielder who would be a household name himself except that he operates under the shadow of his prodigiously talented brother.
So how do Castletown contain David and his brother? As manager Aidan Young points out in the front page story, his team have to find a way to stop the supply going into Kerry's marquee forward. They must also stop Paudie rampaging forward.
They have to also contain players such as the O'Sheas, Emmett and Tadhg.
They must also dominate the midfield sector. On top of all that they must hoover up as much possession as they can in the central sector and quickly launch their own attacks. So it's all very straightforward as far as Castletown are concerned! Simple?
The reality is the Meath side face a challenge in this game like they have never faced before. They will be asked questions they have never been asked before. In other words they have a mountainous task, as formidable as climbing Carrauntoohill, yet there are reasons for Castletown to be hopeful, optimistic even.
One of the greatest qualities the Castletown manager and the management team have helped to foster among the players is a strong self-belief. The players are encouraged to express themselves on and off the field on how the team, the project, can be honed and improved.
They play with a freedom that has reaped rich dividends.
That freedom helped them produce an assured, controlled performance against St Abban's, Adamstown in the Leinster final, a game the Meath side had wrapped up at Wexford Park well before the end.
There is enough experience and know-how in the Castletown ranks with the likes of Kevin Ross, Jonathan Ginnitty, Evan Hoey, Shane Hoey, Damien Ginnitty to suggest panic won't spread through the green and gold ranks if things go awry early on while players such as Adam Matthews, Rian McConnell, Killian Price and Damien Cribbin bring real talent and drive to the table.
Manager Young insists his team will be going to Portlaoise to win, not just to contain. A noble approach, defiant, but that thorny question remains: "How do you solve the kind of problems caused by a certain D Clifford?"