LAST UPDATE | 16 Nov 2020
DAVY FITZGERALD IS to stay on as Wexford senior hurling boss for the 2021 season.
Fitzgerald saw his side exit this year’s championship at the hands of Clare with Saturday’s qualifier defeat, a fortnight after relinquishing their Leinster title with a 13-point loss to Galway.
Last September it was announced that the Clare All-Ireland winner had agreed to stay in charge for a further two years after a brilliant 2019 campaign that saw them land provincial honours and run eventual champions Tipperary close at the semi-final stage.
And he has now decided to see out that new two-year term, ensuring he will be at the helm for a fifth season.
“He rang me today to say he texted the players and is committed to Wexford for 2021,” chairman Derek Kent, who is soon finishing up in that role, told The42 today.
“The working relationship this county board have with Davy has been a great relationship. To be fair to Davy if he had an issue or problem, we resolved it.
“If it was a case he only wanted to do one year, that’s fair enough but it was there for him for the second year. I’d no doubt with the feedback I’m getting from around Wexford and the players that he would remain as manager of the senior hurling team.
“We’ll have a change of guard in Wexford in two weeks time. The only one that’s finishing up in Wexford GAA is myself. It’ll be for the next administration to discuss what’s happening in 2021.”
The disappointing nature of this year’s displays had raised doubt over Fitzgerald’s future. Speaking after Saturday’s game in O’Moore Park he revealed he would take his time in deciding whether to commit again and would only stay if it was ‘for the betterment of the team’.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport after Wexford exited the Championship, Davy Fitzgerald hinted that he may be persuaded back for his contracted fifth year in charge, but only if it's for "the betterment of the team". #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/1fIo5oIYJz
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) November 15, 2020
Wexford’s performances have come in for criticism with Kilkenny great Henry Shefflin pointing out on The Sunday Game last night that he believes they have looked ‘over-coached’ and ‘devoid of ideas’.
Wexford looked 'devoid of ideas' and lacked aggressiveness this year say The Sunday Game panel #RTEGAA #GAA pic.twitter.com/YUr1p0qsEo
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) November 15, 2020
Given the turbulent nature of 2020, Kent feels there is some perspective needed in assessing the season and is content with the positive asepects during his involvement as chairman in recent years.
“Look it, it’s a game of hurling. Wexford GAA has done so much for the community, it’s done so much for our players and for our clubs, what they’ve done with our own local championships. The inter-county didn’t work out for us, move on, regroup. 2021 is another year for another administration to look after.
“To be honest the highlight of my tenure as chairman was uniting the county board. This year getting our local championships going – Wexford were the first out with that, the footballers fulfilling their fixtures, getting out of Division 1B after so many years and getting into the top grade, so there’s been more positives than negatives.”
Originally published at 15.27
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