Fitzgerald to stay as Antrim manager after meeting

Davy Fitzgerald is to remain as Antrim hurling manager for the remainder of the Joe McDonagh Cup campaign. Confirmation that Fitzgerald's tenure would continue came following a meeting between the county chairman and a five-man player delegation on Wednesday evening. Earlier in the week there had been conflicting reports over whether Fitzgerald was still in charge, which resulted in the players boycotting Tuesday's scheduled training session.

The squad trained on Friday evening at Dunsilly under Fitzgerald and the Clare man will remain at the helm for the remaining three McDonagh Cup games, the first of which is away to London in Ruislip next weekend. That fixture will be followed by home matches against Westmeath and Carlow. Earlier in the week Antrim GAA denied that Fitzgerald had been dismissed following last week's defeat by Laois and then reinstated to his role after concerns were raised by the squad.

The former Wexford and Waterford boss kept the Saffrons in Division One B of the Allianz Hurling League last year but was unable to prevent the county's relegation from the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship. This season, they lost league matches to Wexford, Clare, Kildare, Dublin and Down, but their sole victory over Carlow proved enough to avoid relegation on points difference. Fitzgerald succeeded Darren Gleeson as Antrim boss at the end of the 2024 season on a two-year term with the option of a third.