Fitzgerald to leave Reds after 20 years

AFTER nearly two decades in the job, Garrett Fitzgerald is believed to be moving on from his role as Munster CEO and will carry the legacy of overseeing the province’s highly successful transition from amateur to professional rugby. Munster’s head of finance Philip Quinn, who has served as acting chief executive while Fitzgerald recuperated from surgery, is understood to be a frontrunner to take over full-time when the position becomes available later this year, having impressed as stand-in. Other names said to be in the mix include former Munster and Ireland winger John Kelly, who has the advantage of strong rugby pedigree to go with his accounting background and is chairman of the province’s Professional Games Board, and Alan Miller, who has worked as Munster A manager and with the Academy. Having taken over in December 1999, Fitzgerald, who turns 65 in June, is the longest serving chief executive in the provinces (Mick Dawson became Leinster CEO in 2001) and a former Munster coach who masterminded the famous win over world champions Australia at Musgrave Park in 1992. Munster reached their first European Cup final in his first season at the helm and were beaten finalists again in 2002 before landing the trophy in 2006 and 2008. Fitzgerald also oversaw the development of Thomond Park

into a 26,000-capacity stadium, Musgrave Park into a modern 8,000-capacity with a 4G pitch as well as the establishment of Limerick as the province’s single base with state-of-the-art facilities at UL. During his time at the helm, Munster have grown into one of the biggest brands in the world game, going from a turnover of approximately IR£490,000 at the end of his first year to the point where revenue streams last year brought in an estimated €16.9million. Fitzgerald (right) worked as a teacher in CBC Cork before being employed in the financial sector for 15 years and, as well as playing prop for UCC and Cork Constitution, coached CBC, UCC and the Irish Universities as well as the Munster senior team. Meanwhile, Sportsmail understands that IRFU head of elite player pathway Colin McEntee is to be given greater responsibility as the union seeks to break their impasse with the clubs. Under Australian director of rugby development Scott Walker, the IRFU have met staunch resistance to their plans to revamp the All-Ireland League with several failed attempts to break the impasse. McEntee, the former Leinster and Ireland A No8, has over 20 years’ experience working with younger players and played in the AIL with Greystones and Lansdowne.