Fitzgerald to stay on as Déise manager

Davy Fitzgerald's spell as Waterford senior hurling manager has been extended into a fourth championship season following last night’s specially convened meeting of the County Board.

He was appointed for a one-year term, holding off three other challengers in former Kilkenny All-Ireland medal winner Eddie O’Connor, Mount Sion’s Jim Greene, and Michael Ryan of Fourmilewater.

It took the delegates less than 15 minutes to rubber-stamp his reappointment.

Fitzgerald has been at the helm since a player revolt ousted Justin McCarthy in June 2008. That year he guided the team to a first All-Ireland final since 1963, and while that ended in annihilation by Kilkenny, he has had the satisfaction of leading the county to a fourth Munster championship success in nine years this season.

His term ended with last month’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Tipperary – one that brought a lot of criticism on his head for the tactics deployed in that game.

County chairman Tom Cunningham, who along with vice chairman John O’Leary, secretary Timmy O’Keeffe, and treasurer Michael Hogan interviewed all four managerial nominations, said the recommendation of the committee was that Fitzgerald be appointed.

Asked by former county chairman James Tobin if the recommendation from the subcommittee was a unanimous one, Cunningham replied, "No, there were two dissenters, but apart from that it is unanimous."

He added that they are also recommending a one-year term this time as opposed to the previous two-year term.