Former Dublin footballer Michael Darragh MacAuley believes that Dublin's defenders will be 'fighting themselves' to mark Clifford during the game at Croke Park on Sunday.
Michael Fitzsimons and Davy Byrne are the Dublin players that will be tasked with stopping the Kerry star. Clifford has scored 5-39 in this year's Championship and is expected to add to that tally on Sunday.
MacAuley, who won eight All-Ireland titles with Dublin believes both players are more than capable of rising to the occasion and are likely to compete intensely to be the one marking Clifford on the field.
"I think the pair of them will be competing fiercely to mark him," expressed the Ballyboden St Enda’s clubman to GAA.ie. "They have consistently marked some of the best players in recent years, so I have no doubt they can handle the challenge and cause him some serious trouble."
MacAuley also highlights that Dublin's team members embrace the chance to face such skilled opponents.
Former @DubGAAOfficial footballer, Michael Darragh MacAuley, says some of his former team-mates will be 'fighting in the dressing-room' for the responsiblity of marking @Kerry_Official star forward, David Clifford, in Sunday's All-Ireland SFC Final.
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 27, 2023
"David Clifford is a phenom these days but I think the big thing is that there's actually a hunger to mark David Clifford in the Dublin team.
"As a player I used to absolutely love marking a big player for an opposition team and I'd love if he had a particularly good game the day before I played him. Like in a semi-final and I was marking him in a final," he added.
Despite the daunting prospect, MacAuley emphasises that this challenge is precisely what Dublin players desire and that Dessie Farrel's troops they will be eagerly fighting for the chance in the dressing room.
"You like to hear people applauding the opposition before you go and play them. Now, David, does seem like a different ball game because he just brings an outrageous level of consistency. There really isn't peaks and troughs with him, he is operating at a high level consistently.
"But it's a great challenge and that's really what you want. The lads will want this and they'll be fighting in the dressing-room over who gets to mark him."
The All-Ireland final starts at 3.30 on Sunday.
