Tubs in a league of his own – Doonbeg star becomes NFL all-time top scorer

DAVID Tubridy is no stranger to Man of the Match awards, but his 1-8 haul against Cork on Sunday was certainly distinctive for crowning the Doonbeg and Clare star as the National Football League’s all-time top scorer, reports Eoin Brennan.
Trailing Sligo’s first All-Star Mickey Kearins (1971) by just two points heading into Sunday’s tie, Tubridy is now in a league of his own with a remarkable total of 22-412 or 478 points in just 13 seasons.
Complements of Padraig Ferguson of ‘GAA lore’ who trawled through the archives of ‘The Irish Independent’ from 1925 onwards, the top ten also includes Mattie Forde (Wexford) with 386, Steven McDonnell (Armagh, 381), Meath’s Brian Stafford (373) and Tubridy’s former manager Mick O’Dwyer (Kerry, 370).
“It is [a fair achievement],” admitted Tubridy upon hearing the news at the final whistle in Cusack Park on Sunday. “I didn’t know that now. I don’t keep track, but it’s great that I have that I suppose.
“It’s gotten tougher over the last few years, you’re moving up and playing against top players and it’s great to get a chance to compete against those players, but it feels good I suppose. I can’t complain about that.”
Tubridy and Co weren’t grumbling too much about their first defeat of 2021 either though despite the dramatic manner of Cork’s last gasp winning point as it couldn’t prevent Clare from advancing into the last four in Division 2.
“Colm [Collins] has always said that we were a top 16 team and he has gotten the belief in us. The players believe that they’re good enough to be up there in Division 1.
“You saw it there today, we matched Cork. We always struggled to play against Cork ten or 15 years ago, they always got big scores up against us, but it has been touch and go with them in the last few years and we’ve had some great battles.
“We’re playing Mayo the next day which is a great step, and a great game to get before Kerry in Killarney so we’re getting two competitive games and hopefully that game will stand to us as well.”

Read the full interview with the country’s leading marksman in this week’s Clare Champion