Davy Fitzgerald has always been obsessive about preparation. When he was first breaking into the Clare panel, determined to nail down a starting spot, he learned the incumbent's route to work, and decided to haunt him: appearing every morning along that route, pucking a ball against a wall. (That detail comes from this very fine profile of him by Christy O'Connor, in The Times).
Things are no different now that he is in management. Ahead of this weekend's Leinster final, Davy has been giving media interviews, with one detail standing out in his interview with the Irish Independent.
Amid praise for his Wexford side, and just how good they can be, Fitzgerald revealed the considerable ask he has of the Wexford County Board for every training session:
I suppose when I asked the county board for 160 balls for the first night in training, they nearly had a seizure. I told them I wanted that every night.
It came as a bit of a shock. I think the lads have enjoyed it and bought into it big-time.
It is going into the unknown now.
The 'unknown' is Wexford's first Leinster hurling final since 2008, gunning for a title they last won in 2004. This Wexford side have captured the imagination, with the Leinster Council anticipating a crowd of around 45,000 at Croke Park on Sunday. Among them will likely be Davy Fitz: he has grown fond of his 'box' in the stands, and is reportedly going to remain looking down on proceedings in Croke Park,
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