Paudie Clifford looking to model his game on three Kerry legends as he pursues glory with the Kingdom

Paudie Clifford and Kerry are eyeing up the All-Ireland series after defending their Munster title

Watching Paudie Clifford in action for Kerry, it would be easy to forget that he is in just his second year with the Kingdom.

The Fossa forward is a key cog in the green and gold attacking wheel, and has been one of the first names on the team sheet for Peter Keane and now Jack O'Connor.

When looking for inspiration and players upon whom to model his game, Clifford has not had to look far afield.

"Obviously, players from the past, like takings bits from Declan O'Sullivan's game, Gooch obviously and Paul Galvin especially," he outlined. "Them three in the position I play. If you can be a combination of the three of them... I don't have to look too far, I don't think have to look outside Kerry for that."

And the proximity of those idols has come in useful.

"I've spoken to them all in the last year. They're great to give advice if needed or whatever," he detailed.

"They're so knowledgeable. They were unbelievable footballers but they're very knowledgeable. Just trying to get as much out of them to improve my game and to improve Kerry as a team."

The Kingdom are hoping to end an eight-year wait for an All-Ireland title

And he is being given free rein to express himself on the field.

"[Jack O'Connor] lets you do your own thing a lot of the time. He knows...the right things to say to players before the game and they know their role from it," he explained.

"Peter did a lot of great work and we were very close last year and then Jack came in, a new voice with new ideas. He's been a breath of fresh air to us, really. We're really enjoying the training and really enjoying how we're preparing for games. It's just a new voice is the main thing."

That enjoyment is clear, as Clifford is central to a forward line that is currently firing on all cylinders.

"Yeah, it's enjoyable. We enjoy hopping ideas off each other in training and working on things and hopefully bringing it to the game," he outlined.

"It's very competitive. There is a lot of strength in depth and whoever is in the (starting) spot on any given day we know can perform because you can pick up injuries and things like that.

"We probably will pick up an injury or two like every team does so it's great to have the strength in depth and it's down to the lads coming in then to stake their claims like Killian [Spillane] did."

Kerry hit Limerick for 1-28

And the focus is now turning to the All-Ireland quarter-final in four weeks.

"We'll get it tomorrow night and put in a good training," he said.

"We just have to make sure the training is as competitive as possible to get ourselves for what we know is going to be a very competitive quarter-final whoever it is against. It's just back to the heads down now and getting ready for what is basically the second half of the season, the All-Ireland series.

"Four weeks is a bit longer than you'd want alright.

"Maybe there's some better way they could do it where we don't have four weeks after a Munster final, or Dublin after the Leinster final, or Derry or whatever. Maybe there is a better way of doing it. But that's not up to me to decide anyway."

Clifford is looking forward to joining back up with his younger brother David for the All-Ireland quarter-final after he missed the Munster final through injury.

"It's his calf. He got a dead calf at the end of the Cork game," Paudie said of David. "He was close to being ready, but they just said they'd wait another week. So I think he's back training now. He'll be back training tomorrow."

Sky Sports' GAA coverage continues with the All-Ireland SFC qualifier between Mayo and Monaghan live on Sky Sports Arena from 3:30pm Saturday.