ALL-IRELAND SHC QUARTER-FINAL:HE'S HAD a few of them but this was one of Davy Fitzgerald's toughest days.

His reputation was on the line in Thurles yesterday – home of sorrow and triumph for the former Clare goalkeeper over the last 20 years.

Whipped by 21 points in the Munster final against Tipperary a fortnight before, there was no place for Fitzgerald and his Waterford players to hide against a Galway team that had built up quite a head of steam against Clare and Cork in the qualifiers.

But with any team managed by Fitzgerald, you can expect a kick. And Galway experienced one which handed them yet another premature exit from the All-Ireland senior hurling championship.

Fitzgerald spoke about the torture of the last two weeks and revealed that he’s been receiving some anonymous, unwelcome phone calls late at night.

He said: “I’m not going into it, they are not worth even talking to. They can keep ringing, that’s all I’ll say to you. There are people close to me who doubted me and gave me stick. I never doubt myself and the most important thing is I never doubted the lads.

“I’d stand on my head for them boys, they train and work hard and that’s important. I’m just really happy.”

And Fitzgerald defended his decision to call his players in for a debriefing and training at 9am on the morning after the Munster final.

He explained: “The most important thing was to feel the hurt and not hide away from it. You have to feel it.

“Some people probably thought we were off our heads doing what we did the next morning, I don’t know, I’m happy with today but what’s the story now? We just turn up and get beaten in the semi-final and get beaten, is that the story?

“Or do we go out and give it everything again. I think you’ve seen what they are capable of doing.”

Fitzgerald added: “I’ve a great thing about life, you never give up on anything no matter what the story is. You fight, you fight, you fight and keep fighting even when things are bad. I’m proud of the boys so I am and all them mysterious calls in the middle of the night I enjoy them, keep coming.”

Meanwhile, Galway manager John McIntyre indicated he will consult with county hurling board officials before a decision is reached on his future at the helm.

A deflated McIntyre has been in charge for the last three seasons and revealed: “I will sit down – I have another year to run with a review after this season. I’m a realist – I can imagine some of the stuff that’s being said out there but sure, what can I do?

“That’s the jungle and that’s the jungle I’m happy to live in. I’ll sit down and talk to the Galway hurling board and we’ll carry out a review. The bottom line is – whatever is in the best interests of Galway hurling, John McIntyre has no problem in accepting that.”

McIntyre, meanwhile, warned that Galway “are further away from an All-Ireland now than at any stage in the last 20 years”.

He added: “I’ve never believed in the script and all the loose talk that’s been going on over the last fortnight. We knew coming down here that there was going to be a huge Waterford backlash.

“We were looking at the Munster final, after the game was over, and thinking that I would have much preferred if Waterford were only beaten by two points rather than 21. We were beaten all over the field today – there are no excuses, no complaints.

“As a group of men, it’s much easier to cope with losing by 10 points rather than the one we had to endure last year and the year before.

“I’d like to apologise on behalf of myself, the team management and the Galway players to the Galway supporters that were here today.

“That’s not a true reflection of the team. I know Waterford were good on the day and had an almighty cause. And fair dues to them, I congratulate them whole- heartedly but we just didn’t perform.

“We never got to grips with Kevin Moran around midfield – there was an edge to Waterford that Galway just didn’t have.

“We got off to a terrible start, we pulled it back a bit and I thought at half-time that we were still in the contest. But Waterford did to us what we needed to do to them at the start of the second half.

“That’s just the way it is – Galway’s attitude wasn’t wrong today – we came down here expecting a battle but we were found wanting.”