*Davy Fitzgerald. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
DAVY FITZGERALD has stepped down as manager of the Antrim senior hurlers.
Fitzgerald’s fifth stint in senior inter-county management came to an end on Sunday following Antrim’s 3-26 1-15 win over Joe McDonagh cup finalists Carlow in Corrigan Park.
Sixmilebridge’s Davy did not speak to the media following the victory, their third of the competition following defeats to Down and Laois at the beginning of the campaign.
He is understood to have informed the Antrim panel following Sunday’s game that he would not continue in 2027 and he cited a breakdown in trust with some members of the County Board. Over the course of his two seasons with Antrim, Clare personnel that formed part of his backroom team included Michael ‘Gazzy’ Collins, James Hickey and Conor Dolan.
Appointed manager in August 2024 for a three-year term, Davy opted against filling out the final year.
In a statement, Antrim GAA thanked Davy for his input to hurling in the county over the last two seasons. “We want to thank Davy Fitzgerald and his entire backroom team for their commitment and efforts with our senior hurlers over the past two seasons,” the statement said. “Under Davy’s management we retained our status in Division 1 hurling in 2025 and 2026. We wish Davy and his family well for the future”.
Matters turned sour following the losses to Down and Laois with the Antrim squad issuing a statement to the County Board seeking clarity on Fitzgerald’s position and a resolution to the allocation of training gear. This matter was resolved and the Saffrons then put together a three-game winning run.
His decision to go to Antrim may be ranked as his worst call in management. His first senior inter-county role saw him lead Waterford to the All-Ireland final in 2008, their first appearance in the decider in 45 years, the Déise reached four successive All-Ireland semi-finals under his watch and won the Munster final in 2010.
From here it was back to his beloved Clare, promotion back to the top tier of the Allianz National Hurling League was achieved in his first season in 2012 but the following year saw his highpoint in management when Clare were crowned All-Ireland champions for the fourth time. Clare exited in the qualifers in 2014 and 2015 before winning the National Hurling League in 2016 but exited in the quarter-finals to Galway which marked an end to his tenure.
Wexford was the next destination. In his first season, he again achieved promotion to the top tier of the league, qualified for a first Leinster final in nine years and lost in the All-Ireland quarter-final to Waterford. Clare knocked Wexford out of the All-Ireland quarter-finals in 2018. The Model County won their first Leinster title in fifteen years in 2019 and suffered an agonising All-Ireland semi-final two point loss to Tipperary. In successive seasons, 2020 and 2021, a Brian Lohan managed Clare eliminated Wexford from the All-Ireland championship, having bowed out of the Leinster SHC in the semi-finals.
A second stint as Waterford manager following in 2023 and 2024 with the Déise winning two out of eight games in the competitive Munster championship during this time and drawing one.
