Déise chief urges Fitzgerald to stay on
Cunningham said last night that Fitzgerald’s role “is a decision for the clubs of the county and the county board” but stressed that he like to see the former Clare goalkeeper stay on.
Cunningham said: “Davy’s contract is up and it’s up to us to negotiate a new contract with him. What we usually do, and this is normal procedure, is that we appoint four executive officers to come back with a recommendation.
“They are the chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer.
“But nothing will be done until the September meeting, which is on the second Monday of the month.”
Cunningham revealed that Fitzgerald told him after last Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat against Tipperary that he would need “three to four weeks” to decide whether or not he will remain at the helm in 2011.
Essentially, Fitzgerald’s fate is in his own hands as Cunningham insisted that the two-time All-Ireland SHC medallist has “a lot of support out there.”
Cunningham added: “I’ve spoken to Davy and he’s very disappointed over the match on Sunday. But there seems to be a lot of support out there for him to stay. Anybody I spoke to said to me that he should (stay on). He’s been very positive for Waterford hurling and has brought a very professional approach.
“He’s done a great job and not matter what happened last Sunday, we go down in the history books as Munster champions in 2010.”
Dan Shanahan announced his retirement from intercounty hurling on Monday evening but Cunningham is confident that other seasoned Waterford stars such as Ken McGrath and 37-year-old Tony Browne will play on.
Cunningham said: “I’m fairly confident that all of the other players will stay on, including Ken. He’s had his injuries but he’s really coming back to form now and improved mighty in the last few weeks. You could see him coming the whole time. I’d say Tony will give it another go — he had a great year.”
Paying tribute to Shanahan, Cunningham revealed: “I was a selector for Waterford’s Tony Forrestal team when Dan played U14. He was a big, strapping young lad.
“He started playing for Waterford in the 1990s and Justin McCarthy brought him on an awful lot. Gerald McCarthy worked hard with him too while Justin got him hitting off his right hand side.”
Fitzgerald admitted after last Sunday’s clash that Waterford were tactically outmanoeuvred by Tipperary but Cunningham reflected: “It worked on both days against Cork in the Munster final and worked against Clare.
“Davy set a gameplan and it didn’t go according to plan. After that, the wheels fell off the wagon then.
“But 20 minutes into the second half we were only three points down. The goals killed us.”
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