CORK CAMOGIE CAPTAIN Amy Lee says Davy Fitzgerald has been a positive addition to their set-up and brought “a winning mentality” to the group.
The All-Ireland winning player and manager made an unexpected move when he joined Matthew Twomey’s backroom team as coach after five years with Wexford hurlers.
He drew headlines for the wrong reasons after becoming involved in an altercation with Clare joint manager Conor Dolan in Cork’s league opener which saw Fitzgerald sent-off.
Lee insists Fitzgerald is a more serene figure behind the scenes.
“Obviously you’d see online Davy was shouting at the referee or whatever, all those stories. I’d have people asking me all the time what he’s like and they’re like, ‘he seems mad’ or whatever because of what they’d seen on TV.
“But if you actually sat down with the man for five minutes you’d know what he’s really like. I think the way it is with TV and social media, even personal stuff, the way they put him out there.
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“I know sometimes you lose the head and stuff, but I think it (the commentary) is very dramatic. He’s actually a lovely man and he’s great to work with.
“He’s done massive stuff for us already. He just has a winning mentality and it’s great to see. He genuinly wants to win at everything he does. In terms of him himself, he’s so lovely. We still have great craic at training even though obviously the training is serious.
“You’d still have the craic or a little laugh or joke or whatever. Do you know what, it’s great to have him involved.”
The Rebels face Galway in Saturday’s Littlewoods Ireland National League Division 1 final at Croke Park and Lee feels the game is “in a good place now.”
“The rule changes have made it a better game. It flows a lot more now. Before, it was very much stop-start, with all the frees and stuff.”
On a wider level, the Camogie Association is set to amalgamate with the LGFA and GAA after all three associations passed motions at Congress, but Lee knows there’s a long road ahead.
“I always say, we have to forget about ourselves sometimes. There won’t be much change between now and when I retire, there probably will be some but there won’t be much,” reckons Lee.
“You’ve to remember the eight and nine-year-olds that are coming up now, you want to set something in for them to come into and hopefully it will be better for all of them.
“I’m a big supporter of [integration]. I just think it would run a small bit smoother and we’d have access to more facilities. Obviously, most facilities are GAA owned and I understand why a male team would take preference. But it (amalgamation) would help in terms of facilities, training, and money. And it would develop the game massively.”
The Leinster ladies and men’s finals will be staged as a double-header this summer while Munster GAA announced last week that four camogie games will act as curtain raisers for Munster SHC ties.
Lee believes playing on good pitches and having adequate facilities supersedes double headers in importance.
“I was never too fussed about double-headers. I was more fussed whether we were going to get a hot shower afterwards. Because we have gone to the matches and the showers weren’t working. That’s the reality of it.
“In terms of double-headers, it would be nice to see Ladies football and camogie together. It would also be nice to be before or even after the lads. I don’t think it’s a big deal. It’s nice to have a double-header but just being able to play in the main pitches is more important.”
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'We have gone to the matches and the showers weren't working. That's the reality'
CORK CAMOGIE CAPTAIN Amy Lee says Davy Fitzgerald has been a positive addition to their set-up and brought “a winning mentality” to the group.
The All-Ireland winning player and manager made an unexpected move when he joined Matthew Twomey’s backroom team as coach after five years with Wexford hurlers.
He drew headlines for the wrong reasons after becoming involved in an altercation with Clare joint manager Conor Dolan in Cork’s league opener which saw Fitzgerald sent-off.
Lee insists Fitzgerald is a more serene figure behind the scenes.
“Obviously you’d see online Davy was shouting at the referee or whatever, all those stories. I’d have people asking me all the time what he’s like and they’re like, ‘he seems mad’ or whatever because of what they’d seen on TV.
“But if you actually sat down with the man for five minutes you’d know what he’s really like. I think the way it is with TV and social media, even personal stuff, the way they put him out there.
“I know sometimes you lose the head and stuff, but I think it (the commentary) is very dramatic. He’s actually a lovely man and he’s great to work with.
“He’s done massive stuff for us already. He just has a winning mentality and it’s great to see. He genuinly wants to win at everything he does. In terms of him himself, he’s so lovely. We still have great craic at training even though obviously the training is serious.
“You’d still have the craic or a little laugh or joke or whatever. Do you know what, it’s great to have him involved.”
The Rebels face Galway in Saturday’s Littlewoods Ireland National League Division 1 final at Croke Park and Lee feels the game is “in a good place now.”
“The rule changes have made it a better game. It flows a lot more now. Before, it was very much stop-start, with all the frees and stuff.”
On a wider level, the Camogie Association is set to amalgamate with the LGFA and GAA after all three associations passed motions at Congress, but Lee knows there’s a long road ahead.
“I always say, we have to forget about ourselves sometimes. There won’t be much change between now and when I retire, there probably will be some but there won’t be much,” reckons Lee.
“You’ve to remember the eight and nine-year-olds that are coming up now, you want to set something in for them to come into and hopefully it will be better for all of them.
“I’m a big supporter of [integration]. I just think it would run a small bit smoother and we’d have access to more facilities. Obviously, most facilities are GAA owned and I understand why a male team would take preference. But it (amalgamation) would help in terms of facilities, training, and money. And it would develop the game massively.”
The Leinster ladies and men’s finals will be staged as a double-header this summer while Munster GAA announced last week that four camogie games will act as curtain raisers for Munster SHC ties.
Lee believes playing on good pitches and having adequate facilities supersedes double headers in importance.
“I was never too fussed about double-headers. I was more fussed whether we were going to get a hot shower afterwards. Because we have gone to the matches and the showers weren’t working. That’s the reality of it.
“In terms of double-headers, it would be nice to see Ladies football and camogie together. It would also be nice to be before or even after the lads. I don’t think it’s a big deal. It’s nice to have a double-header but just being able to play in the main pitches is more important.”
-Amy Lee is a 2022 John West Féile ambassador
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