Davy Fitzgerald set to become Antrim hurling manager

The Clareman is set to be confirmed as boss of the Saffrons on Monday

Davy Fitzgerald as Waterford manager in May. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Davy Fitzgerald is set to be confirmed as the new Antrim senior hurling manager on Monday night.

County executive and board meetings have been organised to take place in Dunsilly where it is anticipated the 2013 All-Ireland SHC winning manager will be recommended and ratified as Darren Gleeson’s successor.

Fitzgerald has had a number of meetings with the county’s selection committee charged with finding the replacement for Gleeson who stepped down last month after five strong years.

He has strong links with The Saffrons going back to his playing days and a source close to the 53-year-old says he has been blown away by the level of ambition Antrim have for hurling in the county.

After two seasons, the Sixmilebridge man surprisingly stepped down as Waterford manager in June having come closest to leading the county out of the Munster SHC round-robin for the first time since its inception in 2018.

Fitzgerald expressed the need to take time out with his family and speaking recently he said he benefitted from that break. “My intention definitely was to take a small bit of a breather and it was great,” he told “Red FM”. 

"I got a number of weeks there where I had no one talking to me. But then you get a few people talking to you. I'll wait and see. I love being involved."

He added: "If something comes up that might be a bit different, I might think about it.” 

Fitzgerald has been involved in senior county management every year since he retired playing in 2008. After leading Waterford to their last Munster title in 2010, he brought Clare to All-Ireland and Division 1 successes in ’13 and ’16 respectively prior to guiding Wexford to their first Leinster SHC title in 15 years in 2019.

Coach to Cork’s senior camogie team in 2022 when they lost out to Galway in an All-Ireland final, he returned to Waterford for the past two seasons.