New Clare manager Mark Fitzgerald: ‘It is a daunting challenge’

When the 2024 intercounty season throws in, Mark Fitzgerald will be on the Clare sideline in a role only one other person has carried out during the last decade – manager of the Banner senior footballers.

It will be strange to see Clare without Colm Collins quietly plotting on the sideline, his hands stuffed down the pockets of an oversized jacket while his team step out across the whitewash forever punching upwards.

Collins was appointed Clare senior football manager in October 2013, succeeding Mick O’Dwyer. And it turns out the Colm Collins era will be bookended by Kerry natives after the Clare County Board on Tuesday night ratified Fitzgerald as the next Banner boss.

The Kerins O’Rahilly’s clubman stepped in as interim Limerick manager in March of this year after Ray Dempsey’s abrupt departure. Fitzgerald previously played with and managed his home club while he was also a selector with the Kerry minors during James Costello’s reign.

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He follows a well-worn path of Kerry folk who have taken charge of the Clare senior footballers – including Micko, Páidí Ó Sé, John O’Keeffe and John Kennedy. Donie Buckley, too, served as a Clare joint-manager in the past.

“No, I’m not the first man from Kerry to manage Clare, I suppose,” says Fitzgerald. “I got to see Clare at close hand on two separate occasions last season and there was clearly something good within that Clare group, they were very impressive.

“Clare football has been going well in recent years and the county has a history of producing good footballers.”

As Fitzgerald knows only too well. He was part of the O’Rahilly’s coaching team for the 2009 Munster club final against Clare champions Kilmurry-Ibrickane. Kilmurry edged out their Kerry opponents, 0-7 to 0-6.

More recently, the Tralee club got a real scare from Éire Óg in the 2022 Munster club semi-final, when the Strand Road outfit were fortunate to escape with a one-point win.

Collins was the longest-serving intercounty manager in the country before stepping away in June of this year following his side’s defeat to Derry in the All-Ireland round-robin series. It was time for the group to have a fresh voice.

“It is a daunting challenge when you consider the wonderful work Colm has done for Clare,” adds Fitzgerald.

“But if everybody had the same opinion, I suppose the world would be a boring place. I have my own ideas and I would hope to bring a little bit of that to the group as well. I’m not saying I’m ever going to replace Colm Collins or anything like that, but everything moves on at some stage.”

Fitzgerald started the 2023 season as a selector on Dempsey’s management team in Limerick. However, when Dempsey quit in March, Fitzgerald stepped up to prevent the Treaty County’s season derailing.

Having lost four of their opening five games by that stage, Limerick’s ambitions of staying in Division Two were already fanciful and subsequent defeats to Kildare and Clare confirmed their relegation.

However, they were extremely competitive in their Munster SFC semi-final against Clare, with only a goal separating them at the final whistle. Limerick built on that display with a solid Tailteann Cup campaign that included wins over Longford and Carlow.

Fitzgerald had been linked with returning to Limerick next season, but Jimmy Lee has been appointed senior football manager on Shannonside.

Having come up against Clare twice in 2023, Fitzgerald is aware of the talent within the Banner dressingroom.

“In that Munster semi-final, Limerick had a shot at goal late on but it didn’t go in and Clare obviously showed their expertise and experience to keep the ball coming down the stretch and hold out for a win.

“They survived in Division Two for seven years, which is not easily done. The athleticism of the group is impressive and there are a lot of very good footballers in Clare. And while it’s acknowledged one or two might be taking a year or two out, there is a core group there that are very strong.

“Based on what I’ve seen around Clare football and what I got to see at close quarters there is a lot of talent around the place and I think there are a lot of good lads outside the squad too who are capable of making the step up.”

Eoin Cleary, the Clare captain in 2023, has confirmed he intends travelling next year and will not be available while others are also set to step away for the 2024 season.

Fitzgerald has been handed a two-year term and his backroom will include Kilrush’s Owen Tarrant, who was Mayo’s strength and conditioning coach this year, and former Limerick footballer Seanie Buckley in a coaching role.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, it was also confirmed Brian Lohan would be remaining on as Clare senior hurling manager for a fifth year.