STOPPING CLIFFORD A TASK TOO TALL

HUNDREDS and thousands of little actions and decisions across 80-odd minutes of play and either Donegal or Kerry will be left standing tomorrow.

- BY KARL O'KANE

One slip could be the difference with everything put on the line by 38 or 39 players in the most pressurised environment.

Their lungs will burst at stages and their resolve will be tested to the very limit.

For all that and all the tactics, the game will boil down to a couple of huge factors.

Number one, can Donegal restrict David Clifford in particular, but also Paudie Clifford and Sean O'Shea enough, without leaving too many gaps elsewhere?

Gaps that a Paul Geaney would be ideally suited to exploit if he was available.

Brendan McCole will match up with Clifford. McCole is Donegal’s one out and out man marker and generally gets a dedicated marking job in their system.

He rarely goes forward either.

But how tight can Donegal get on O'Shea and Paudie Clifford?

Man marking Paudie Clifford is dangerous as he roams everywhere and following him any way deep would leave gaps for David, but can you afford to give him the freedom to play?