WHEN HE FACES ME, HE IS LIKE A LUNATIC
Davy: I seem to bring out worst in Donoghue
DAVY FITZGERALD has joked how he’s looking forward to sharing the sideline with “lunatic” Micheal Donoghue this weekend.
The pair face off in Saturday’s Hurling League quarter-final at Pearse Stadium on Saturday having built up something of a rivalry in recent years since Fitzgerald came to Wexford.
Wexford have won both League encounters in the last two years only for Galway to send them packing subsequently in the Championship, while there’s been a feisty Walsh Cup meeting already this year.
“Donoghue always seems to get up for me, I don’t know what the story is. Every time he plays me he’s like a lunatic,” Fitzgerald (right) smiled. “I was watching him on the sideline the last day and he wasn’t so bad when I was watching the tape back. So no doubt he will. He’s always managed to get right up for it.
“Maybe I haven’t been up for it enough when I’ve played him. Maybe I need to have a look at that, you know,” he laughed. “He’s done a great job with them. They’re a very hard-working team. They travel back a lot in numbers, they work very hard.
“So it’ll be interesting because in the Walsh
Cup they were very intense with us. They came down to do a job that day and did it.
“They took us out by seven or eight points I think and they hadn’t many of their first 15 playing. We know we’re going to be in a battle on Saturday.”
Fitzgerald believes that there’s a “ruthless” streak to his Galway counterpart.
“Knowing Donoghue as I do, he is a very competitive manager. This guy is a ruthless guy. I’ve a feeling from now on you’re going to see that ruthlessness the team are going to portray. “They’ll be very disappointed at losing to a last minute goal the last day. I’ve a feeling we’re going to feel the brunt of it early on the next day.
“We’ve got to meet them challenges and I’m looking forward to them. But I think Galway are going to be right there, I really do. WEXFORD boss Davy Fitzgerald says the lengthy commute from his Clare home in Sixmilebridge isn’t doing his health any favours.
Fitzgerald has endured issues with his heart in recent years and also suffers from sleep apnoea. In his autobiography published last year, he said how he was “jaded” when first taking on the Wexford job more than two years ago.
He said: “It’s a long journey. The people are really good to me and I think the players and myself have a really good bond.
“I could tell you stories, even over the last week or
“They’ve four or five players to come back to what I looked on their team the last week that will make a difference.”
It looks as though Donoghue will have to wait until the second half to face off with Fitzgerald however as he is set to continue his policy of watching the first half of his side’s games from on high.
“I’d love to spend the whole lot up there. Believe that. I love it. I can see the game. What I come down on the sideline for is, ok, I think it’s important to have a presence on the sideline as well.”
Davy Fitzgerald was speaking at the launch of the 2019 KN Group All-ireland GAA Golf Challenge which takes place at Concra Wood and Nuremore Golf Clubs in Co Monaghan on August 9 and 10. Visit www.gaagolf.com for more info. two but I’m not going to. It isn’t ideal for your health.
“But, look, I actually love what I do. And I had other opportunities at the end of last year and nice opportunities to do other stuff but it’s savage being out on the field, no matter what.
“I don’t think people realise the highs and lows.”