GAA All-Ireland Football semi-finals: Derry relishing Clifford challenge - Ciaran Meenagh

Derry boss says reigning Footballer of the Year David Clifford is an "unbelievable player"

Derry manager Ciaran Meenagh says thwarting Kerry's star forward David Clifford in the All-Ireland SFC semi-final will be an "exciting challenge".

Meenagh described the 24-year-old as special and an "unbelievable player".

He added: "It's not really about stopping David Clifford - it's about managing the scene around him. He's that good and he's that frightening."

"Let's see how we manage that threat. It's a hugely exciting challenge and one we're looking forward."

"If he turns up he has the ability to win games on his own and has proved that since he was very young and broke onto the scene.

"But we feel we have a number of good man-markers and a very good defensive system."

The winners of Sunday's semi-final will face Dublin in the showpiece finale on Sunday 30 July after they withstood a fierce challenge from Monaghan to clinch a 1-17 to 0-13 victory on Saturday.

Defending champions Kerry will start as favourites in the Croke Park showdown as they chase a 39th Sam Maguire Cup triumph.

Derry have been fancied to win all their league and All-Ireland games this year and Meenagh was asked if it was good to into the semi-final game as underdogs.

"It absolutely is - there's been pressure on almost every fixture we've played this year," he said.

"Kerry are the aristocrats of football and they have some of the greatest players ever to have played the game lining out in their team now - that poses a great challenge.

"It's almost like a weight of your shoulders in preparing for the match and that's a good thing.

"But with the temperament of these lads, how they just take everything in their stride and being in our own bubble means that when the ball's thrown in on Sunday it doesn't really count for much in terms of how we prepare, even when we are favourites."

It's a been a phenomenal rise to the top for an Oak Leaf side which was playing Division Four football in 2019.

The back-to back Ulster champions reached the semi-final stage last year and the future looks bright with the county winning the All-Ireland Minor title last weekend.

"It's not that long ago that many people viewed Derry as a laughing stock - unless you keep your feet on the ground and unless you stay really, really focused right across all levels things can soon change," added Meenagh.

"It's about being humble, staying grounded, looking to push on and striving to keep standards high right across the board in all facets of preparation of all teams.

"The players are coming in - we see some of the young players that we have in our squad. We'd be really excited about the potential that those guys have over the next couple of years and there's a conveyor belt coming behind that.

"So if you marry that with doing things right and having egos on the outside and keeping all the noise on the outside then potentially there's some great days ahead."

• All-Ireland semi-finals - all you need to know