Thomas Fitzgerald (born 1983) is an Irish hurling manager and former player who is the current manager of the Laois senior hurling team. He was a dual player at club level with Portlaoise and was also a member of the Laois senior hurling team]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Tomás Mac Gearailt | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Wing-forward | ||
| Born |
1983 Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Portlaoise | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Football | Hurling | ||
| Laois titles | 9 | 1 | |
| Leinster titles | 2 | 0 | |
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
2002-2015 | Laois | 50 | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 0 | ||
| All-Irelands | 0 | ||
| NHL | 0 | ||
| All Stars | 0 | ||
Playing career
editFitzgerald began his club career with Portlaoise as a dual player at underage levels. He won minor and under-21 championship titles in both hurling and Gaelic football before progressing to the club's respective senior teams as a dual player. Fitzgerald won nine Laois SFC medals and one Laois SHC between 2002 and 2013. He also won two Leinster Club SFC medals.[1]
On the inter-county scene, Fitzgerald first played hurling for Laois during a two-year tenure with the minor team in 2000 and 2001. He later lined out with the under-21 team but ended his underage career without success. Fitzgerald made his senior team debut in 2002. He won a National League Division 2 medal that year before later claiming an All-Ireland SBHC medal after a 2–20 to 2–07 defeat of Wicklow in the final.[2]
Fitzgerald won a second Division 2 medal in 2007 before leaving the panel in March 2011 following a disagreement with team manager Brendan Fennelly.[3] He returned to the panel shortly after and claimed a third Division 2 medal in 2013. Fitzgerald retired from inter-county hurling 2015.[4]
Management career
editFitzgerald was part of Eddie Brennan's management team when he guided Laois to the Joe McDonagh Cup title in 2019.[5] He later switched to club coaching with St Thomas' in galway.[6] After coaching the club to three successive Galway SHC titles, Fitzgerald's side claimed the All-Ireland Club SHC title in 2024 after an 0–18 to 0–17 defeat of O'Loughlin Gaels.[7]
Fitzgerald succeeded Darren Gleeson as the Laois senior team manager in November 2024.[8]
Honours
editPlayer
edit- Portlaoise
- Leinster Senior Club Football Championship: 2004, 2009
- Laois Senior Football Championship: 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
- Laois Senior Hurling Championship: 2004
- Laois Under-21 A Hurling Championship: 2000
- Laois Under-21 A Football Championship: 2001, 2002
- Laois Minor A Football Championship: 1999
- Laois Minor A Hurling Championship: 1999, 2001
- Laois
- All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship: 2002
- National Hurling League Division 2: 2002, 2007, 2013
Management
edit- St Thomas'
- All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship: 2024
- Galway Senior Hurling Championship: 2021, 2022, 2023
- Laois
References
edit- ^ "Portlaoise set high standard". Irish Independent. 6 December 2004. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Wicklow fall at the last". Irish Independent. 2 August 2002. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Fitzgerald brands Fennelly a 'disaster from day one'". Irish Examiner. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Laois hurlers decimated by withdrawals". Hogan Stand. 2 December 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Modest Fitzgerald integral to Laois' recent success". RTÉ Sport. 14 July 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Righting wrongs not on St Thomas' minds – Fitzgerald". Irish Independent. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Laois man plays a part as Galway side St Thomas's claim thrilling All Ireland club hurling title". Laois Today. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
- ^ "Fitzgerald to replace Gleeson as Laois hurling manager". Laois Today. 22 November 2024. Retrieved 22 November 2024.