For a few days last month, there was uncertainty as to whether Davy Fitzgerald would still be standing on the Antrim sideline when their final Joe McDonagh Cup group game rolled around.
So when he does take to that Corrigan Park whitewash on Sunday afternoon, it will not be lost on him that he’ll be sharing it with one of his closest friends – albeit on this occasion Pat Bennett will be pucking sliotars across on the opposition trenches.
Fitzgerald and the current Carlow manager have history, hurling history. Bennett has been Fitzgerald’s trusted lieutenant since they met during the former Clare goalkeeper’s first spell as Waterford manager.
Bennett joined Fitzgerald in Wexford too, and he also had the Ballysaggart man help him out with Sixmilebridge in the past.
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When Fitzgerald took on the Antrim job last year, Bennett went with him to the Glens as well. However, the journey from Waterford to Antrim took its toll. As it has done on both men, truth be told.
Shortly after Antrim’s campaign ended last summer, Bennett collapsed at home and was taken to hospital. Something had to give.
“I remember getting the call from Pat and he was honest about it, he just couldn’t do the journey any longer. It’s a massive commitment, so of course you understood,” says Fitzgerald.
“Pat is a really good friend and that’s more important than anything. It’s something I value massively. When you need help in other areas of life, there are people who would be there for you and he is certainly one of those people.”
Fitzgerald previously estimated the round-trip from Sixmilebridge to Antrim’s training base in Dunsilly comes in at approximately 850km. Last year, he would have met Bennett just off the motorway in Portlaoise before turning the car due north.
Not having his confidant along for company and advice, not to mention the craic, has made the journey drag that bit longer this term.
And so he has taken to mixing up his travel plans to Antrim. On the days he drives, Fitzgerald would generally leave at 10 or 11 in the morning and arrive back home around 1.30am. But he has figured out a train schedule that works too – going from Limerick to Dublin to Belfast.
Bennett has a much shorter commute these days. When the Carlow vacancy came up last year, he was sounded out. Despite his lengthy involvement with intercounty teams, Bennett had never held the position of senior intercounty boss. It felt like a now-or-never opportunity. Fitzgerald agreed.
“It was a no-brainer for Pat. Carlow is close to him. He has so much experience and he’d be good with people, his hurling knowledge is as good as I’ve come across, so I was delighted he took it.”
Antrim need something of a miracle to see their season stretch beyond this weekend. Carlow have already booked their place in the McDonagh Cup final and, barring an extraordinary series of results, they will be playing Laois in that decider.
Laois would need to lose against winless London, Down would need to beat Westmeath, and Antrim would need to wallop Carlow to overturn what is currently a 25-point inferior scoring difference to the O’Moore County.
So, Sunday could mark Fitzgerald’s last game in charge of the Saffrons, in what has been a bumpy season at times. Last month, there were suggestions of some within the county board trying to orchestrate a midseason managerial heave.
The players came out in support of Fitzgerald and the group circled the wagons. Fitzgerald didn’t make any public utterances. Antrim hurling took a deep breath and stepped back from the brink of escalating the controversy.
“You’d swear the last few weeks was the first time I have been talked about,” says Fitzgerald now of that hullabaloo. “It has happened other times over the last 17 years of management. If you go through winless streaks you’ll be talked about, that’s just part of it.
“People don’t always know the full story in these things but would the likes of Pat be there for a chat if needed? Absolutely, he would, that’s the kind of friendship we’d have.”
Following that episode, Antrim – who had lost their opening McDonagh Cup fixtures to Down and Laois – have since chalked up two consecutive victories, beating London and Westmeath.
They overcame Carlow in Division 1B of the league in February and when the fixtures for the Joe McDonagh Cup were confirmed, it was thought this last-round game could be high-stakes stuff.
But that hasn’t transpired. Still, both will be keen to finish the round-robin stages on a winning note.
Fitzgerald and Bennett did chat earlier this week, with some friendly fire tossed over and back. It was a chance to arrange a round of golf as well. But they’ll leave the communication off now until after the final whistle on Sunday.
“Depending on the way the result goes, you mightn’t talk for a few days afterwards, we’d both be that type of person, competitive and pretty emotional.
“He’s got a job to do when we play them but there’ll be no rowing with Pat Bennett on the sideline, I have too much respect for him. And look, no matter what, we’ll shake hands at the end. Once it’s over, it’s over.”
Only, for Fitzgerald until this point it has never really been over.
Within months of finishing up as Clare goalkeeper in 2008, he took on the role of interim Waterford hurling manager and has been involved with an intercounty team every season since – Clare hurlers, Wexford hurlers, Cork camogie, Waterford again and now Antrim.
Whether it be playing or coaching, it is 38 seasons of continual involvement with an intercounty team.
But at the end of this tough campaign, at least there will be a friendly face waiting at the finish line.
“One thing I’ve learned,” adds Fitzgerald. “Hurling is hurling, but there are more important things in life.
“I mightn’t have thought that 15 or 20 years ago.”
