Fitzgerald disgust over abuse

Ian O'Riordan talks to Clare's Davy Fitzgerald who described the level of personal abuse endured in last month's match as "absolutely sickening"

Clare goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald yesterday revealed the personal torment he endured in the Munster hurling semi-final against Cork, describing the level of verbal abuse as "absolutely sickening". Cork proved easy winners when the sides met at Semple Stadium in Thurles on May 28th, but that's not the only reason Fitzgerald would rather wipe that game from memory.

"I was absolutely disgusted with what went on in Thurles that day," said Fitzgerald, one of the more hardened members of the Clare team, and an All-Ireland winner in 1995 and 1997. "It was absolutely sickening. Never in my life had I to put up with what went on that day. Especially in the second half. There was just no place for it. I thought it was dead and gone, and that I'd taken my punishment for a number of years.

"All I can say is there were about seven or eight Cork supporters, standing right behind me for the whole second half. They were hundreds of people saying stuff, but this particular group never stopped for one minute. I didn't even look at them. I was focused on my job, and what I had to do myself.

"I just made my own gesture at the end, and waved the green flag, to say you didn't score any goals on me, as much as you tried to get me. But the guy who was doing my sliotars said he'd never witnessed anything like it."

Ironically, Fitzgerald's revelations came on the day All-Ireland hurling sponsors Guinness announced a competition for the most fanatical supporter in the country. Fitzgerald also admitted he was no stranger to verbal abuse, but just not at such vitriolic levels.

"I'd never come across anything that bad before. I don't know how they can call themselves supporters. Go there and cheer on your team. And I know 90 per cent of the Cork supporters are awful genuine. A lot of them came to me outside afterwards, and were fantastic.

"But them other yolks, they have no place going to matches. You will always get some stuff thrown at you. Call me what you want, but don't make it personal, stuff you know absolutely nothing about.

"It doesn't get to me any more, it just makes me sick. Thank God my young lad was nowhere near the goalmouth, and I wouldn't let him down there anyway. But nothing even nearly as bad as that has happened for a good while now. I don't know what other goalkeepers get, and I'd hate to think our fans do anything like that. I'd be just as disgusted. This has no place in the game."

Like many of his Clare team-mates, Fitzgerald is coming to the end of his career, yet he admitted incidents like what happened in the semi-final drive him on even more. He's never disguised his passion for Clare - and eagerness to beat the opposition - and he just can't see any justification for what went on during the game.

"I love playing for Clare. I'm mad about it and passionate about it, but it's not an act, and I make no apologies for it. I'd have banter with the Cork players, but we'd always shake hands afterwards. Like myself and Joe Deane had a go at each other the last day, but we shook after it, no problem. It's not like I'm going around beating the other players. We have a great game and we should all enjoy it."

Apparently, manager Anthony Daly has also endured some criticism in the aftermath of the game, even in Clare, and again Fitzgerald couldn't see the sense in it: "Anthony puts his heart and soul into it. He was a wonderful leader when he was playing for us, and he's still so passionate about the game. He's getting some stick at the moment as well, but we all have tremendous respect for him. We've trained this year as hard as any Clare team, and that's why it's so disappointing when it doesn't work out. But hopefully the work will pay off yet."

Clare begin their qualifier campaign with a testing clash against Limerick in Ennis this Sunday. Meanwhile, the full details of the Guinness hurling supporter competition, with the winner getting €10,000 plus a premium seat in Croke Park for the next two years, can be found at www.guinness.com.