ALL-IRELAND SHC FINAL COUNTDOWN:  After three months with Waterford, Davy Fitzgerald has firmly rebutted all the doubts, writes Seán Moran

THREE MONTHS ago to the day the ball began rolling. Waterford's thrashing by Clare and, more damagingly, hollow indifference thereto, signalled the end of Justin McCarthy's tenure as Waterford manager. Unusually, it wasn't the county board but the players who called time on what had been the county's most successful decade in 40 years.

Stepping into this model of crisis management came David Fitzgerald, best known as the energy field who kept goal for Clare's All-Ireland-winning teams in 1995 and 1997. His reflex saves and sergeant-major barracking of a legendary defence made goals against Clare hard to come by.

In an era of tremendous goalkeeping standards he was a comfortable participant. People remember him coming upfield to take memorable penalties and haring back to his own goal after their successful dispatch, leaping in exultation as he went.

The intensity that fuels his involvement with hurling has occasionally caused problems; as a mentor with the Clare under-21s and Limerick IT he picked up suspensions for losing control of the passions that define his sporting personality.

So was he a risky appointment to a team that needed clear guidance if they were to pick up the thread of a championship challenge many believed had already peaked? What has happened since has rebutted many of those reservations. From the ashes of last June has arisen the county's first All-Ireland final appearance, against champions Kilkenny, in 45 years and the breaking of a five-match run of defeats in All-Ireland semi-finals. The team is less prone to mood swings and the players are believed to be immensely happy with the new management.

His previous highest-profile coaching success had been the two Fitzgibbon Cups won with Limerick IT. Liam Kelly, chair of the college's GAA club, was warm in his tribute when Fitzgerald was appointed in Waterford.

"He was fantastic for us and put hurling on the map in the college. We were in Division Two of the Higher Education League when he came on board four years ago and in that time he won two Fitzgibbons and reached the final this year and lost just in extra-time. He was excellent and a real players' man. He'd organise extra lessons or tuition for them.

"We've seen this coming. Every year there's been more and more watching his methods. We wish him every success and hopefully he might give us a bit more time yet."

At the Waterford media night last week Fitzgerald balanced his experience of the big occasion as a player with the perspective of his new role, contrasting the solitary obsessions of goalkeepers in particular with the varied responsibilities he now carries.

"I'm lucky I've gone through it three times playing, but it's a way different kettle of fish now, managing.

"When you're playing you just have to worry about yourself. Even though you're part of a team the most important thing for you is to get your game right. As a manager you're wondering, because there's so many different lads on the panel, what makes them tick; and then there's backroom staff and you've to make sure about the arrangements. It's very hard to keep on top of everything and to keep every player going."

His interest in managing teams has been clear throughout a decorated playing career that he began as a specialist goalkeeper on the Sixmilebridge under-12s at the age of eight: club, underage, camogie and college - he's been involved at all levels.

Hardly surprising then that when Waterford came calling there was little agonising about the offer, especially as the championship draw had already spared him the conflict of loyalty that might have made acceptance an awkward choice.

"It was something like five minutes - less. When you get an opportunity like that you couldn't pass it up - not a hope. It was a plus that they'd played Clare but being honest I don't think I'd have passed it up no matter what happened."

Surely there was some pause for thought: after all, picking up a team in June doesn't leave much room for devising master plans?

"It was a worry, yeah. Naturally you'd like a number of months to get things right but you know what, in fairness I was getting a team that had achieved Munster championships and league and things like that and no matter what shape they were in I knew if I got a number of weeks with them and they had a bit of a base - because surely they had a bit of conditioning and weights done - then maybe I could come in and add something."

Interestingly he identifies a sense of unity and purpose as one of his initial priorities, surprising for a team that had so visibly gone out on a limb together.

But this reflects a value that he has always considered important. When Sixmilebridge reached the 1996 All-Ireland club final it was just months after Fitzgerald and three others had been members of the Clare panel that brought home the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time in 81 years. At the time he described the strength of the club in familiar terms.

"One good thing about the Bridge is that we might be playing with the county but there are a lot more leading figures with the team. Gerry McInerney, Flan Quilligan, John O'Connell - I'd look up to them - but in general we're evenly balanced with no prima donnas."

Last week he outlined what had been his immediate plans for the Waterford panel.

"The one thing that I really wanted to bring was a serious togetherness among 36 lads. There was a togetherness there because they took a massive decision earlier in the year but I felt they could become even tighter as a group. We've no stars on the team; it's one to 36 and we work as a unit."

Getting the mood right was, however, just the start of the regeneration process. Waterford's style of play under McCarthy had been frequently exhilarating, a full-court press of power, athleticism and breathtaking scores, but the downside was a lack of discipline in shot selection as well as an inclination to let everyone play the ball and see who scored the most. In full flow they could beat anyone but when the pendulum swung in the other direction, defensive frailties and exasperation could also open the door for, well, anyone.

Having looked at how the team lost an All-Ireland semi-final to a Limerick team they had already comfortably beaten in the Munster final, by the simple expedient of conceding five goals, Fitzgerald and his selection team of former player Peter Queally and Maurice Geary decided to play their most iconic performer, Ken McGrath, at full back.

It was a risk; the Mount Sion hurler has been the hub of the team at centre back during their best games. But the switch was a statement of intent and as soon as the team reached a sixth semi-final it was decided to arrange things more recognisably.

There were also broader issues with the way the team played and a desire for more structure - an end to McCarthy's unfathomable predilection for naming players in weird positions, where everyone knew they'd never actually play.

"I wasn't sure what way Waterford worked in the past," said Fitzgerald. "They had a bit of movement up front and that but I had certain things that I wanted to work on tactically. I'm not going to go into that in massive detail. I have my own formations and systems and way of doing things and I'm going to keep that tight enough to my own chest at the moment. Some days they work; some days they don't.

"One thing I really wanted to work on was distribution of the ball. It's very important to use every ball you can and I think you can see with the lads, especially when games are tight that the focus is good, that they didn't hit too many stupid balls away. I think that's very important and I think they've improved."

They're certainly farther down the road to fulfilment than they were; and that, you suspect, is important for the team in the light of their early-summer coup. Justin McCarthy's abrupt end is not an encouraged topic of conversation; when raised it triggers formal and apparently genuine tributes as well as some unease.

Without doing what they did the players wouldn't be in next week's final but if they are to have a chance of winning they have to relocate some of the spontaneity of McCarthy's best times.

His successor remains satisfied that with the change in attitude and application of the players, Waterford can build their challenge on steadier foundations.

"I think we're improving in every game. I knew from the start that it was going to be a slow progression because . . . you're trying to change a style of play and improve the work ethic. I looked back at the match DVDs from the last couple of years.

"We had super forwards and super scores but maybe weren't working hard enough.

"That's improving and it makes a massive difference to our defence. But maybe if a ball is pinpointed into an opposition's forward line it's hard to deal with and I would say that we've worked very hard on our graft and on being more honest in our games.

"That's a fundamental in hurling. Hard, honest work - blocking and tackling - will win out at the end of the day."

Fitzgerald Facts

Age: 37

Club: Sixmilebridge (Clare)

Manager: June 2008 to date

Honours: Player- All-Ireland SHC 1995, 1997; Munster SHC 1995, 1997 and 1998; All-Ireland club 1996; Railway Cup 1996 and 1997; All Star 2002 and 2005; Players' All Star 1995

Honours: Manager- Fitzgibbon Cup (Limerick IT) 2005 and 2007

Selectors: Peter Queally, Maurice Geary