Fitzgerald Anthony
October 09, 1992
NAME: Anthony Fitzgerald
DATE OF BIRTH: 2/3/72
HEIGHT: 5' 9"
WEIGHT: 11st 7lbs
CLUB: Passage
COUNTY: Waterford
HONOURS: All underage county medals, Munster medal, Under 21 All-Ireland, Intermediate Passage and Gaultier
INTER COUNTY DEBUT: Tony Forrestal 1986 (tournament)
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: South and East Fisherman's Co-Op
TOUGHEST OPPONENT: Brian Whelehan
FAVOURITE GROUNDS: Semple Stadium
FAVOURITE POSITION: Right half forward
SPORTING AMBITION: To win a senior All-Ireland
DO YOU PLAY ANY OTHER SPORTS? Gaelic football, soccer
BOYHOOD HEROES: Joe Cooney
FAVOURITE PLAYERS: Damien Byrne
BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: Peter Power
WAYS OF IMPROVING THE GAME: Play the advantage more
DISLIKES ABOUT THE GAA: None
BEST GAME SEEN: Tipperary versus Cork, 1991
PLAYERS WITH A PROMISING FUTURE: Derek McGrath, Paul Flynn
HOPES FOR 1993: To win county championships with Passage hurling club and Gaultier football club, and an All-Ireland senior with Waterford
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CLUB PASSAGE: I joined Passage seven years ago and have enjoyed a lot of success with them. We are aiming for the senior championship this year. We are senior since 1989
THE ALL-IRELAND UNDER 21 WIN OVER OFFALY MUST HAVE BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE: Yes, without a doubt
THE WATERFORD MINORS WERE A WEE BIT OF A DISAPPOINTMENT IN CROKE PARK. DID THEIR SET BACK EFFECT MORALE IN THE UNDER 21 CAMP? It made us more determined to bring the title across the Suir. After the minors defeat, Waterford were not going to lose two All-Irelands in the one year
THE WATERFORD SUPPORT TRAVELLED IN HUGE NUMBERS. THEY MUST HAVE BEEN A GREAT HELP TO YOU: Yes, they were. Waterford supporters are the best in the country
AND YOU GOT A RIGHT ROYAL WELCOME WHEN YOU RETURNED TO WATERFORD ON THE SUNDAY EVENING: Yes, the scenes in Ballybricken were just magic. Just the same as in Dungarvan Monday night
THAT UNDER 21 WIN MUST HAVE MEANT QUITE A BIT TO WATERFORD HURLING: People who never held a hurley are now playing in the town and around Dumore East. We now believe we can definitely win the Liam McCarthy
WERE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR OWN PERFORMANCE? Yes, happy enough. Made easier by the distribution from the half back line
ANY FUTURE SENIOR STARS ON THAT UNDER 21 TEAM? We already have some and I can see all of this panel playing for the senior team in the next three to four year
YOU WERE NOT THE ONLY PASSAGE LAD ON THE TEAM? No, Raymond Barry was in goal. Seamus Keating and James Connors are part of the panel also
YOU WERE MARKED BY THAT EXCELLENT PROSPECT BRIAN WHELEHAN. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF BRIAN AS A HURLER? Very good hurler. He is a tight marker and very fast. He has good skill
WHAT WAS THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE IN NOWLAN PARK? Unbelievable. You would have to be there to witness the scenes. You would think you were playing in Waterford
TEAM SPIRIT IN THIS WATERFORD UNDER 21 SQUAD MUST HAVE BEEN HIGH: Yes. It was just like one big happy family
WATERFORD PEOPLE TELL US YOU ARE QUITE A USEFUL FOOTBALLER: I enjoy the game very much. We have won all underage county titles, including three minor championships. I was delighted to be involved in all of them
HAVE YOU PLAYED WITH THE WATERFORD SENIORS TO DATE? I wanted to concentrate on the Under 21 side this year. After all, I have plenty of years on my side
THERE IS ALSO GREAT PRAISE COMING FROM THE SOUTH EAST ABOUT TRAINER PETER POWER AND ASSISTANTS TONY MANSFIELD AND JOE CARTON: I was with Peter and Joey in the Tony Forristal Tournament in '86 and they brought in Tony this year, which is one of the reasons that we won the All-Irelands. Peter Power has to be one of the best trainers in the country
WATERFORD HURLERS HAVE BECOME ONE OF THE GREAT LOSERS OF THE HURLING WORLD. OBVIOUSLY THE THREE WISE MEN HAVE INJECTED A GREAT SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND BELIEF INTO THE TEAM: We are no longer losers. The future looks very promising indeed after the success of the minors and under 21s this year
AN ALL-IRELAND SENIOR WIN FOR WATERFORD IN TWO OR THREE YEARS TIME? We are as good as any county in Ireland. If the effort is put in by everyone, I can't see why not
Taken from Hogan Stand magazine
9th October 1992
Vol 2 No 76
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