Wexford accept Fitzgerald suspension

Wexford GAA has confirmed it will not appeal against the severity of the eight-week ban handed to manager Davy Fitzgerald.

The GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee imposed an eight-week suspension on the Wexford manager following his actions during his side's Allianz Hurling League semi-final defeat to Tipperary at Nowlan Park on Easter Sunday.

Fitzgerald entered the field of play to remonstrate with referee Diarmuid Kirwan for his failure to award a free to James Breen in the build-up to Tipperary's second goal before clashing with Niall O'Meara and Forde.

While believing the ban to be 'harsh', the Wexford County Board has decided against taking their case to the Central Hearings Committee.

“The County Board, and all Wexford GAA supporters, are fully supportive of Davy Fitzgerald as our senior hurling manager. Wexford people fully understand that Davy brings 100% commitment and a real passion to his coaching and it is this which makes him such an outstanding manager. We are very proud of the tremendous work he and his backroom team have put into the senior hurling squad. That work is already bearing fruit with promotion to Division 1A achieved and a real spring in the step of all GAA followers in the county," a statement read.

“It is considered that the penalty imposed for Davy’s pitch encroachment is harsh and that arguments could be made for a lessening of the penalty. Indeed, it is not unknown for other similar penalties to have been nullified after appeals and legal processes. However, this decision has been reached after detailed discussion with Davy and is being taken in the broader interests of the game and of the senior hurling team. In accepting the penalty, the focus of attention can now turn elsewhere and the GAA family in Wexford can return to strengthening our games and our teams.”

The ban, which will expire just hours after a possible Leinster SHC semi-final against Kilkenny on June 10, will see Fitzgerald confined to the stands for his side's clash against one of the round-robin qualifiers on May 27. 

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