‘I’M STAYING’ SAYS HURLING BOSS DAVY

Hurling boss to remain for third term

DAVY FITZGERALD is to remain on as Wexford Senior hurling manager for a third successive year.

‘My backroom team will be much the same with the possibility of just one change. It will be sorted over the coming weeks,’ he added.

Fitzgerald’s decision to remain at the helm will be welcomed, after he took time out since the All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to his native Clare to consider his future.

It had been hoped that he would remain on for at least another year, particularly after a delegation of players travelled to Clare on Saturday week in an effort to have him stay in the demanding role.

Fitzgerald, having given two years to the team, feels he can bring the side further, which is one of the reasons he remains.

And that’s despite the particularly arduous journey involved, with up to an eight-hour round trip on each occasion travelling to Wexford.

Wexford’s summer may not have been on a par with his opening year in charge, having failed to qualify for the provincial final after losing out to Kilkenny by one point, a game that left them so agonisingly close to a second successive Leinster decider.

But it was the side’s insipid All-Ireland quarter-final display against Clare that immediately cast doubt on Fitzgerald’s appetitie for another year in charge, this despite the fact that they retained their Division 1A status, defeating Galway in the league quarter-final, but disappointingly losing out to Kilkenny in the semi-final at Innovate Wexford Park.

Fitzgerald has given fantastic commitment to Wexford and hurling in general, since his appointment re-energised the game in a county where they had been struggling to match up to the top sides.

‘Look, I was given a three-year plan by Diarmuid (Devereux) on taking this job,’ he said.

‘I achieved the plan as then set out in one year - promotion to Division 1A, a provincial final, and getting the county into the top six. Now we will seek to take it to another level in 2019.

‘People talk about progress. From when I took over the progress has been massive.

‘We have beaten the top teams, the only team to beat Galway twice, beaten Limerick in the league, and Dublin in a championship game for the first time in many years. That’s real progress, progress which we will work hard to build on,’ he added.

While Fitzgerald has openly supported the round-robin system, he still believes that it should be a level playing field for every county.

‘Look at the results, Wexford, Limerick and Offaly all suffered from being out three successive weeks. Wexford lost out by a point to Kilkenny, with Limerick suffering against Clare, while Offaly got hammered.

‘There is a spare week there and it has to be utilised to give all counties a level playing field,’ he added.

Now Wexford can look forward to 2019 with a degree of confidence with the colourful Fitzgerald (left) still at the helm.