Winning Player Award 'a Special Feeling' - Clifford

Kerry prima David Clifford says it is "still a typical emotion erstwhile you get an grant for illustration this" aft he was named GAA-GPA Footballer of nan Year for nan 3rd clip successful 4 years connected Friday night.

The 26-year-old played a pivotal domiciled successful helping nan Kingdom unafraid nan National League title, nan Munster SFC crown and nan Sam Maguire Cup successful 2025, including notching 9 points successful his side's All-Ireland last triumph complete Donegal astatine Croke Park successful July.

His points full for nan Championship successful nan summertime was 8-62.

"I suppose it's nan truth that it's voted connected by nan players that makes it a spot other special," Clifford told BBC Sport NI's Thomas Niblock aft collecting nan prize and nan sixth All-Star of his career.

Kerry team-mate Joe O'Connor and Donegal's Michael Murphy were besides nominated for nan Player of nan Year accolade.

"When you're going up against 1 of your ain players and 1 of your bully friends it doesn't make it awkward but you'd emotion it if you could some triumph it.

"That's possibly a spot nan measurement I consciousness astir it this year. Joe had an unbelievable twelvemonth for america and I deliberation everyone successful nan group has monolithic respect for him.

"He wouldn't beryllium a footballer erstwhile he was 18 aliases 18, he hardly played nan sport, truthful to get from location to wherever he is now it must beryllium typical for him."

Clifford explained that he has been enjoying immoderate "downtime" earlier his thoughts move to nan forthcoming season.

"As your profession goes connected you commencement to understand what you need. For maine it's to propulsion myself afloat into nan nine play and past to propulsion myself afloat retired of shot for astir a period aliases truthful and do what each 25 aliases 26-year-old does.

"Then location comes a clip successful December aliases January erstwhile you opportunity to yourself, 'I'm sick of that now, I request to spell backmost training'.

"That's mostly really it useful for me. The looking guardant to adjacent twelvemonth astir apt hasn't happened for maine yet but it will travel soon down nan road."