Brian Barry
GAA Editor @BrianGBarry
Davy Fitzgerald delights in Wexford's 'incredible' Leinster win
Fitzgerald: "People thought I was off my head going down to Wexford!"
Last Updated: 01/07/19 1:03pm
Davy Fitzgerald couldn't hide his delight after Wexford overcame Kilkenny in Sunday's Leinster final.
In the process, he became the first manager to win all four major trophies in hurling; the All-Ireland Championship, National League (both with Clare), Munster Championship (with Waterford) and now the Leinster Championship.
As the scale of the achievement dawned on the Clare native after full-time, he couldn't hide his enthusiasm.
"It's hard to describe that feeling," he grinned. "You only get a few of them as a manager and a player and I don't know how to describe it but it's incredible.
"I loved when that final whistle went. There is nothing that can't be achieved in life or nothing that can't be done.
"It's right up there.
"I'm going to actually enjoy the next two or three days and then I'm going to start thinking about a semi-final."
In joint-captain Matthew O'Hanlon's speech after raising the Bob O'Keeffe Cup, he detailed the bond between the group and the management, and this was echoed in Fitzgerald's faith in Mark Fanning for the crucial penalty.
Indeed Fitzgerald, a former goalkeeper himself, had no doubt that the Glynn-Barntown man would bury it:
"I knew he was going to score it. And that's not rubbish; I didn't [watch]. Because I was turning to Seoirse [Bulfin] about something, he said 'are you going watching?', I said 'I don't need to, he'll score'."
Now in his third season in charge of the Yellowbellies, Fitzgerald has delivered silverware after two initial years of real progress.
"People thought I was off my head going down there," he laughed.
"We were kind of a good fit. They're half-mad; I'm half-mad!
"I remember a lot of people told me when I was coming to Wexford, 'don't bother going, you haven't a chance of doing anything, they're not going to do anything.'
"If you look back to 2015, Kilkenny beat Wexford by 24 points, so I don't think anyone would have [envisaged] delivering [a Leinster title] within four years. So I'm just delighted that they showed they can bridge a gap and come back into it, that's a big thing for me.
"There was a doubt when I came in there, in their own personal minds, I know they doubted were they good enough to do stuff. But that [belief] kept growing, and it's great to see the bunch of boys [succeed]."
"People might say 'it's a Leinster Championship' but a Leinster Championship means so much to this bunch it's incredible and so much to the Wexford people," he continued.
"I'm delighted, I'm absolutely delighted for them. The emotion, it feels exactly the same for me as it's felt every time you've achieved something, whether it be winning with Clare as a player or a manager, winning with Waterford, I'm just so happy to see them boys so happy."
Focus will soon turn to an All-Ireland semi-final in four weeks. But for now, it's time for celebration in the south-east as the Bob O'Keeffe Cup heads for the Model County for the first time in 15 years.
How much further can this side go? Right now, they're one of the form sides in the country.
"We're the only unbeaten team in Ireland," smiled Fitzgerald.
Sky Sports' live GAA coverage continues next weekend, with a double-header from the fourth round of the All-Ireland Football Championship Qualifiers.
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