David Fitzgerald has been ratified as Antrim’s new hurling manager. At a meeting of the county committee on Monday night it was decided to give the Clare All-Ireland winner a two-year appointment with the option of a third.
In a statement on Monday evening Antrim chair Séamus McMullan welcomed the new appointment.
“We’re delighted to announce the appointment of Davy Fitzgerald. Davy brings a wealth of experience to the role. His vision, drive and determination are a perfect fit with the ambition of our playing panel. We are confident too that Davy will bring the very best out of the emerging hurling talent that is present within our county.
“We are committed to further developing our underage structures in Antrim and welcome Davy’s interest in contributing to that – that is an exciting prospect for our young hurlers and their clubs. On behalf of the clubs of Antrim we wish Davy the very best and look forward to working with him and his team.”
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Details of his management team have yet to be announced.
The much-travelled Sixmilebridge man will embark on intercounty management in a third province of a career that began as soon as his playing days ended in 2008: Munster with Waterford and Clare, Leinster with Wexford and now Antrim in Ulster.
Previous appointments have generally brought success to the counties involved. Only the most recent tenure – two years with Waterford – ended with no major silverware acquired.
Fitzgerald’s original term in Waterford, from 2008 after Justin McCarthy stepped away mid-championship until 2011, yielded the county’s first All-Ireland final appearance in 45 years when defeating Tipperary in the 2008 semi-final and a Munster title – the county’s most recent – two years later.
Taking over his native Clare, with whom he had won two All-Irelands as a goalkeeper, he delivered the Liam MacCarthy Cup in his second season, 2013 plus a national league title three years later.
Next port of call was Wexford who he led to a first Leinster title in 15 years when beating Kilkenny in 2019, before coming up narrowly short against Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Having taken up coaching duties with Cork’s camogie team in 2022, Fitzgerald returned to the men’s game after a year and embarked on a second stint with Waterford, who came within a dying-seconds ‘65′ in Ennis against eventual All-Ireland winners Clare of qualifying from the Munster round robin for the first time and eliminating subsequent All-Ireland finalists Cork.
To the surprise of many he stepped away from the Waterford position after the county’s championship elimination having completed two years.
He succeeds Tipperary’s Darren Gleeson, who served as manager for five seasons, leading Antrim back to the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
