Davy: Proving people wrong big thrill

Davy Fitzgerald admits he took great pleasure from Clare proving people wrong last year.

In an extensive interview in tomorrow’s Irish Examiner, the All-Ireland winning manager tells of his bemusement at the lack of credit his team received prior to September’s replay win over Cork.

He also warns he will have to upset a number of his players over the next few seasons to keep the team fighting for honours.

“What a feeling to get there with a team that’s not meant to get there. That’s the biggest thrill for me and it can never be taken away. If we don’t win another game in my next four years they can never take that way. It’s what I often say about Cyril Farrell in Galway. Some people in Galway rate him, some don’t. I’m saying to myself ‘how can you not rate him?’ He’s done it, he doesn’t need to prove to anyone anything. He’s done it at the highest level. There are a lot of hurlers on the ditch and they’ve never done it.

“I’m so delighted for the players. I love them boys to bits. Will I have to hurt a few of them over the next few years? I will and that will be the hardest thing ever to make those decisions.

“Will I have rows with my backroom team? I will. We wouldn’t be successful without the fantastic team around me and the rows we have.”

Fitzgerald also speaks openly about his relationship with his father and Clare secretary Pat as well as his partner Sharon O’Loughlin, brother of his predecessor and former county team-mate Ger.

He suspects the confidence of Limerick fans impacted on their team in their All-Ireland semi-final to Clare.

“Did their supporters get a bit carried away? Maybe they did and maybe it rubbed off on the team.”

Fitzgerald also reveals his anger with Eamon O’Shea for encouraging his Tipperary side to go for goal when they were already out of Clare’s sights in last March’s Division 1A game.

The 42-year-old tells of how he turned down the opportunity to get back at Wexford manager Liam Dunne for past grievances in extra-time of the counties’ All-Ireland qualifier last July. “We got a penalty at the end of the game (Clare were nine points ahead). I would not have been happy with Liam Dunne because he wrote a lot of untruths about me when he was working in the media. It was in my head to go for it because of it but I thought of the bigger picture and roared out to Tony Kelly to put the ball over the bar. We didn’t need to do it because it wasn’t the right thing to do. I left that small, personal thing I had with Liam Dunne aside.”

- Don’t miss the full interview in tomorrow’s Irish Examiner Weekend Sport supplement.