Gaelic Games

Davy Fitzgerald to stay on as Wexford hurling manager

Fitzgerald expects to keep same backroom team for 2018

Davy Fitzgerald is to remain on as Wexford manager in 2018. Photograph: Ken Sutton/Inpho

Brendan Furlong
Thu Sep 7 2017 - 15:18

Davy Fitzgerald has revealed that he is remaining on as Wexford senior hurling manager for 2018.

After just one season in the job in a county that became infected by his energy and enthusiasm in the job, Fitzgerald revealed that after much soul searching he is remaining at the helm for another season.

“I needed some time out but now I’ve decided to remain on as manager,” said the former Clare goalkeeper. “The county board has been very patient and brilliant with me in giving me the time to arrive at this decision.

“As regards my backroom, one can take it will be very much the same as this year. As I’ve just arrived at the decision I will be discussing the backroom over the next few days but I expect it to be the same, very much so.”

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When appointed to the Wexford role last October, the 45-year-old had to contemplate life in Division 1B, but he succeeded in awakening the sleeping giants, gaining promotion to Division 1A and qualifying for a league semi-final where they lost out to Tipperary, coming after a famous quarter-final victory over arch rivals Kilkenny in Nowlan Park.

Fitzgerald turned down the Wexford job twice, saying it took repeated advances from county board chairman, Diarmuid Devereux, before he was eventually persuaded to return to intercounty management, having shortly before stepped aside after five years in charge of his native Clare.

Fitzgerald led Clare to the All-Ireland title in 2013, while on taking the Wexford job entered his 28th consecutive season in the elite level of hurling, having first broken into the Clare panel as a young goalkeeper in 1990.

He accomplished the two-year goal set out for him in Wexford by Devereux within the first six months, promotion back to Division 1A of the league and bringing Wexford back into the provincial final with their clash against Galway attracting a record 62,000 crowd.

During that six months, Fitzgerald’s Wexford had some wonderful accomplishments, being the only county to record a victory over now All-Ireland champions, Galway, recording a league victory in Salthill for the first time, defeating Limerick in their opening league game, while also dismissing Kilkenny from the provincial championship title race.

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