Tag Archives: davy fitzgerald

CLARE GAA County Board chairman Joe Cooney will meet with senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald in the coming days, to find out if the Sixmilebridge man intends staying in his post for 2017. Speaking on RTÉ Radio’s Documentary on One last Saturday, Fitzgerald said he was unsure if he wanted to manage Clare for a sixth successive season. “I honestly don’t know what I want to do,” he told documentary maker Máire Treasa Ní Cheallaigh. “Last year I knew 100% what I wanted to do. I could stay with Clare, I could take a year out. I could see myself managing someone else because I love hurling so much and want to do something different and help someone different. I’m a bit confused at the moment.” Speaking to The Clare Champion on Tuesday, Joe Cooney confirmed that talks are due to take place. “Davy has another year on his contract. I will be talking to him over the next number …

IS the public perception of Davy Fitzgerald very different to who he really is? RTÉ Radio ONE’s Documentary on One had unique access to follow Clare’s 2016 hurling year and experience it through Davy’s eyes. So much has been said and written about Davy Fitzgerald. All Ireland winning manager, player, All Star awards, he’s done it all. As a manager, he brought Waterford to an All Ireland final in 2008, their first appearance in the final since 1963. After leaving Waterford he took on the Clare management job in 2011. Within two years, he brought the Liam MacCarthy cup back to the Banner for the fourth time, this time as a manager. The previous two times the trophy made its way to Clare were in the 1990s when, as the goalkeeper, he captured the imagination of the country. The documentary is a project that began as the summer of 2015 drew to a close. Clare were knocked out of the championship …

THIS week and for as long as the Clare hurlers are still in the championship, Davy Fitzgerald should be concentrating on managing the county team. They have an All-Ireland quarter-final to prepare for and that should be his number one priority. Fitzgerald’s interview on Newstalk on Tuesday evening clearly suggests that his full concentration is not on that task. Aside from post-match comments to reporters, what other manager gives wide-ranging one-on-one interviews 12 days before a season-defining game? Regarding his “horrendous” comment on local media coverage of the hurling team, what type of coverage would he be happiest with? Presumably, coverage that doesn’t even lightly question anything related to how he manages the team. Every media outlet in Clare lauded Fitzgerald and his panel when they won the All-Ireland in 2013. However, since then Clare have stuttered badly and won just a single championship game in 2014 and 2015. How could any half-decent journalist ignore that and pretend that the …

Clare GAA supports Davy Fitzgerald’s right as manager to comment on matters involving the senior hurling team, county board chairman Joe Cooney told The Clare Champion, when asked if the board agrees with the manager’s comment in a radio interview on Tuesday that “the local media, especially with us, is horrendous”. Fitzgerald’s comment was in answer to a question as to who puts the most pressure on the team, to which he replied, “Local media, especially with us, is horrendous. It’s something I wouldn’t be happy about. We are not a county that has won a rake of All-Irelands and to think because you have won two or three U-21s, naturally, that gives you a God-given right that we should be winning All-Irelands every year. Yes, we have a decent team but you know what, Limerick, Galway and other teams have won minor and U-21. “Take the last four years and a bit, I think we have won six things …

Three of the players that filled key positions when Clare ensured promotion to division 1 A at the expense of Limerick as the end of March will play no part in Saturday’s qualifier meeting of the Shannonside neighbours at Thurles. Conor McGrath, Conor Ryan and Pat Kelly are all out of action due to injury. McGrath, one of the game’s leading forwards, contributed 0-5 from play in that game and his absence is certainly a blow to clare hopes of beinhg involved in the latter stages of the championship. Both McGrath and Kelly are keeping their fingers crossed that they will be ready for quarter final action on July 25 as is Ryan but the defender/midfielder may have to wait a little longer b efore he is ready to return to action. “Limerick won ‘t be afraid of us. It’s do or die now. We know the great young talent that they have. They have only been beaten three times …

Clare have been dealt a double blow ahead of Sunday’s National Hurling League final, with John Conlon and Paul Flanagan both ruled out. Conlon, one of the stars of the win over Kilkenny, has not recovered from a leg injury picked up in that game and, at this stage, he is also a doubt for the Munster championship semi-final on June 5. The injury is understood to be similar to that which kept Tony Kelly and Jack Browne out of action for almost two months. Paul Flanagan will also miss the final due to concussion. Discussing Clare’s involvement in the 2016 National Hurling League final is not something that was expected when the competition got underway back in February. Yet here they are, putting the final touches to their plans for a tilt at title-holders Waterford at Semple Stadium in Thurles on Sunday at 3.30pm. Undefeated in 11 competitive outings this season, Clare will go into Sunday’s decider determined to …

IN many ways Clare’s progress to the National Hurling League semi-final is surprising, given the number of injuries that has deprived the team of many regulars. The side had to face Tipperary in the quarter-final without eight players that were in the team that lost to Cork in the championship qualifier last summer. Considering this, Clare’s progress to this stage of the league has been impressive. Indeed, those that have been called into the panel have made a mark, which means there is huge competition for places in the team. While the situation with injured players is not as bad as in recent weeks, the expectation is the team on Sunday to face Kilkenny will be along the lines of that which lined out Tipperary two weeks ago. Both Clare and Kilkenny have availed of the campaign to give fringe players an opportunity to impress. Clare have used over 30, while Kilkenny have given 28 players an outing. Tony Kelly is …

AFTER a one-week break, Clare will return to hurling league action this Saturday evening when they travel to play Laois in Round 3 at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise at 7pm. As has been the case with their opening two games, Clare will carry the favourites’ tag but team mentors have stressed that they will be taking nothing for granted. Laois haven’t had a good start to this season’s campaign, losing their opening-round game to Kerry and then going down to Offaly last time out. At this stage of the campaign, relegation to Division 2 is a serious concern, so they will be expected to up their game. While Clare have won all recent outings against the Laois men, they haven’t had things their own way and, in fact, have had to pull out all the stops to get victory. In the league quarter-final in 2014, only four points separated the sides at the final whistle, with Clare ahead on a …