"Different players develop at different times," is David Fitzgerald's theory about his rise to importance for the Clare hurlers over the past two seasons.
"You gain experience," he says. "Obviously I had a tough few years, lost a bit of form. I got that back again and enjoyed the last few seasons."
The Inagh-Kilnamona man won his first PwC Hurling All-Star last year and has again been nominated this year. Being named in The Sunday Game's Team of the Year for 2023 is a sign he won't be far off adding another accolade to his collection.
Fitzgerald has gone from being a regular off the bench to becoming a foundation stone for the Banner.
28 October 2022; Clare hurler David Fitzgerald with his PwC All-Star award at the PwC All-Stars Awards 2022 at the Convention Centre in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
"His physique has filled out," Peter Duggan tells Balls about his Clare teammate.
"David is a man mountain. In general, everything that he puts his head to - work, hurling - he always tries to excel in it. You can see that on the field.
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"He plays with a lot of pride, a lot of passion. Over the last few years, you can see the confidence is the main thing that's burst out in him. He knows his ability and trusts in his ability.
"You can see his striking of the ball, you are nearly always certain that it's going over the bar. The last couple of years, you've really seen the maturity in him."
In 2018, Fitzgerald was part of a Galactico University of Limerick side which destroyed all before them in the Fitzgibbon Cup. Gary Kirby, the Limerick legend who managed UL to that title, first saw Fitzgerald during his Fresher year.
24 February 2018; UL captain John McGrath celebrates with manager Gary Kirby after the Electric Ireland HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup Final match between DCU Dochas Eireann and University of Limerick at Mallow GAA Grounds in Mallow, Co Cork. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
"He was always a strong player," Kirby tells Balls.
"We'd been involved a few years and we decided that we needed some strong guys, tall guys. Freshers was played in the winter months. We felt we were getting a lot of talent coming in through the college but needed a few strong boys that could hurl. David fitted that category.
"Myself, being a manager, when I was over them, I got different ideas from different counties. First, when I was involved with the Freshers, Pádraig Walsh and all them, you saw a different attitude, the desire. Other county players will thrive on that.
"With David, when he saw the way the Limerick lads were preparing, the way Jason Forde and John McGrath were preparing, it all rubbed off."
That UL side featured several Limerick players who would go on to win All-Irelands, including Seán Finn, Gearóid Hegarty, Tom Morrissey, Barry Murphy, Mike Casey and Pat Ryan. There were also Fitzgerald's Clare teammates Conor Cleary and Tony Kelly along with McGrath and Forde from Tipperary.
In that stellar side, Fitzgerald stood out in the final against DCU, scoring two points and being named Man of the Match.
24 February 2018; David Fitzgerald of UL in action against Conor Burke of DCU Dochas Eireann during the Electric Ireland HE GAA Fitzgibbon Cup Final match between DCU Dochas Eireann and University of Limerick at Mallow GAA Grounds in Mallow, Co Cork. Photo by Diarmuid Greene/Sportsfile
"He had great drive about him, great go in him," says Kirby.
"Let's be honest, it's better and better that he's getting. Back then, we wanted a strong half-back line and we got it with himself, Hego and Barry Heffernan. They were very strong going forward. David has gone to another level with his game, which is fantastic to see.
"He was always strong going forward. He has that stride once he gets going, and you could say the same about Hego. When Gearoid moved up to the half-forward line, he came into his own as well."
Last year, Fitzgerald - who had been a wing-back earlier in his Clare career - mainly lined out in midfield for Brian Lohan's side. He was pushed further forward this season into the half-forward line. While coming through the underage ranks with Inagh-Kilnamona, Fitzgerald had usually been a forward.
2 July 2022; David Fitzgerald of Clare in action against Michael Carey of Kilkenny during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final match between Kilkenny and Clare at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
"When I came to senior level [with Clare], I think we had a shortage of backs, a few injuries, so I was thrown in for a few years at wing-back," he says.
"The way the game has gone, your midfield and half-forward line they are transitioning back to support their half-back line.
"As a wing-forward or midfielder, you're going to be tracking an opposition forward for a time in a match, and that's just the way it happens now. You have to be adaptive to where you're playing on the pitch."
In the 2022 Championship, Fitzgerald scored 2-18 and contributed 0-14 this year as Clare again fell at the Kilkenny hurdle in the All-Ireland semi-final.
22 May 2022; Clare players David Fitzgerald, left, and Peter Duggan arrive for the Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 5 match between Clare and Waterford at Cusack Park in Ennis, Clare. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
"What he's actually brought into his game now is that he's scoring," says Kirby.
"Before, David was this guy who went through and probably dropped the ball. Now it's the case that he's bursting through and I'd say he's getting an average of two or three points a game at this stage. That's a sign of the confidence he's playing with."
Duggan - a PwC All-Star in 2018 - feels that "in general, the ability is in everyone that plays".
"It's all about getting it out of you," he says.
"The best hurling you play is when there's less pressure on your shoulders. You can see that with David. Other people's opinions are irrelevant. It's all about what happens on the field. That's how he plays his game. That's how he always ends up with four or five, six points from play. It's savage to see."
Kirby, one of the greatest Limerick hurlers ever, has watched Fitzgerald closely in recent years as Clare have landed some blows on the four-in-a-row All-Ireland champions.
"Clare are going well," says Kirby.
"They've been unlucky against Limerick in the last few years. They are the one team that has been putting it up to Limerick. I think David has been one of the driving forces behind it.
"We all talk about Tony (Kelly) but I think David has just as big an impact. David does all the hard work, breaking through and making the space for players around him.
"When Clare need someone to drive through, he's the one guy that stands up to do it. Cathal Malone holds the Clare midfield while David is the driving force."
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