Davy Fitzgerald gives his honest take on Kilkenny ahead of crunch match
Kilkenny travel to Parnell Park in a must win Leinster Championship match against Dublin on Sunday
Antrim senior hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald has warned GAA fans to write Kilkenny off at their pearl ahead of a huge game for the Cats. - FULL INTERVIEW HERE
Kilkenny make the trip to face Dublin knowing a defeat would likely end their season, while victory would book a spot in the Leinster final.
Fitzgerald was speaking ahead of Dickboro’s Fittest Superstar fundraiser which will be held on Saturday, May 30 (Further Build-Up Next Week).
“People have a question mark and they're probably saying ‘are Kilkenny going to get over Dublin at the weekend?’ I think that's fair to say that people have that question mark,” Fitzgerald told the Kilkenny People Sport Podcast.
“I think it'll be a tough one for Kilkenny at the weekend because Dublin definitely have a system. They know what they're doing,” he continued.
“They’re (Dublin) are organised but write Kilkenny off at your pearl. I actually mean this genuinely, people would often say to me do I hate Kilkenny? Never. I respect them because they're always going to give you everything and I think you’ll see the same at the weekend.
“Are their backs to the wall? Yeah, they have to win but I don’t think that’s a bad thing for them but I just don’t think it’ll be straightforward.
The legendary former Clare goalkeeper and manager also advised Kilkenny supporters to give Derek Lyng more time despite some frustration.
“Under Brian, who I rate as probably the best manager that's ever been out there, I think at times even they (Kilkenny supporters) neglected what he actually achieved and what he done with a brilliant team. It was phenomenal,” Fitzgerald continued.
“But things change all the time. I've very rarely seen a team that stays at the top all the time. I think Derek (Lyng) has done a good job, I'll be honest. He's got the semi-finals, got to the final. He hasn't been 100 miles off the mark, and yet he's changed a lot of the team and he's trying different things.
“I understand the supporters getting, like the way they are, but at the same time, you have to see it for what it is,” the Clare man explained.
“You look at the likes of Cork and the tradition they have, 20 something years (21) since they've won an All-Ireland, and they're struggling with different things, yet I think they're a really good team. Tipperary come, Tipperary go, and I don't think you should forget that.
“Sometimes you (some supporters) can be just a small bit hard, I think and maybe the team need that bit more support now, rather than people getting on their back because there's some great young hurlers in Kilkenny,” he added.
“There's some good hurlers coming, so just be a small bit more patient, that's what I think.”