 Around the same time he joined the hugely successful Glen Rovers minor team that claimed three successive county championships between 1950 and 1952.Clifford had just turned 16 when he was also drafted onto the Glen Rovers junior hurling that claimed the county championship title after a 4-06 to 3-00 victory over Mallow in the 1950 final.Still in his second of three years with the minor team, Clifford was promoted to the Glen Rovers senior team in advance of the 1951 County Championship.