Months of speculation about the future of Davy Fitzgerald finally ended on Monday when the legendary Clare goalkeeper announced his retirement from inter-county hurling. In a glittering 18-year senior career, the 36-year-old Sixmilebridge clubman won all major honours in the game during a period of unprecedented success for the Banner County. He made his championship debut in 1990 against Limerick and was ever-present until last season when a disagreement with the then Clare manager, Tony Considine, led to him leaving the panel in the spring. Following Considine's departure, the colourful custodian expressed an interest in a return to the county set-up in a bid to break Christy Ring's record for the most championship appearances (64). However, he sustained a serious finger injury in a club championship game last year which almost forced him to quit the sport completely. Fitzgerald returned to the panel under new manager Mike McNamara at the beginning of this year, and played in a recent challenge match against Kilkenny, but was unable to regain his place from Philip Brennan in competitive fare. Considered one of the best goalkeepers of his generation, Fitzgerald won two All-Ireland medals in 1995 and '97, three Munster titles, one All-Ireland club championship, two Munster club medals, six county titles and four Railway Cups. He also won All-Star awards in 1995, 2002 and 2005, and claimed the top prize in the Poc Fada competition in the Cooley Mountains on a number of occasions. Tweet

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