David Carler Fitzgerald (born 2 August 1971) is an Irish hurling manager and former player.
He has been manager of the Waterford county team since 2022, having previously managed the team between 2008 and 2011.
As a player, he is widely considered to be one of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation.
Fitzgerald began his hurling career at club level with Sixmilebridge.
1989
He broke onto the club's top adult team as a 17-year-old in 1989 and had his greatest success in 1996 when Sixmilebridge won the All-Ireland Club Championship.
At inter-county level, Fitzgerald was part of a Clare minor team that won the Munster Championship in 1989, before he later lined out with the Clare under-21 team.
After making his debut as a substitute in Sixmilebridge's opening championship game in 1989, Fitzgerald subsequently took over from Brendan Flynn as first-choice goalkeeper.
It was a successful debut season as he captured his first county championship medal following a 3–14 to 1–11 defeat of Clarecastle.
1990
He joined the Clare senior team in 1990.
Fitzgerald's father Pat served as secretary of the Clare County Board from June 1990.
In June 2022, Pat Fitzgerald announced his intention to resign from the role after 32 years.
Fitzgerald played his club hurling with his local team in Sixmilebridge and enjoyed much success in a career that spanned four decades and 100 senior championship games.
1992
In 1992 Sixmilebridge were back in the championship decider.
A narrow 1–11 to 1–10 defeat of Éire Óg gave victory to "the Bridge" and gave Fitzgerald a second county championship medal.
1993
For only the second time in the history of the club, Sixmilebridge retained their championship title in 1993 following a 3–8 to 2–6 defeat of O'Callaghan's Mills.
It was Fitzgerald's third county championship medal.
1995
During that time he was part of two All-Ireland Championship-winning teams – in 1995 and 1997.
Fitzgerald also secured three Munster Championship medals.
Fitzgerald won his first All-Star in 1995, before claiming a further two All-Stars in 2002 and 2005.
He is currently Clare's record championship appearer, having played in 60 championship games.
At inter-provincial level, Fitzgerald was selected to play in seven championship campaigns with Munster and won Railway Cup medals in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 2005.
Even as a player, Fitzgerald became involved in team management and coaching at club level.
After coaching every grade of Sixmilebridge team from juvenile to senior, he later had an unsuccessful tenure in charge of Nenagh Éire Óg.
Fitzgerald subsequently became director of hurling at the Limerick Institute of Technology with whom he won two Fitzgibbon Cup titles.
Three-in-a-row proved beyond Sixmilebridge, however, the team bounced back to reach the championship decider again in 1995.
Scariff provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Sixmilebridge secured the victory by just a single point on a score line of 2–10 to 0–15.
The win gave Fitzgerald a fourth county championship medal.
"The Bridge" later qualified for the provincial decider against Tipp champions Nenagh Éire Óg.
A converted penalty by Fitzgerald helped the team to a 2–18 to 1–7 victory and the Munster title.
Sixmilebridge later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Dunloy were the opponents.
2006
From his debut, Fitzgerald was ever-present as a goalkeeper and made a combined total of 148 National League and Championship appearances in a career that ended with his last game in 2006.
2008
He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 31 March 2008.
Fitzgerald's first managerial role at inter-county level was with Waterford in 2008.
2010
In his four seasons in charge he guided the team to a first All-Ireland final appearance in 45 years as well as the Munster Championship title in 2010.
2011
Fitzgerald's club career ended in 2011, by which time he had also won two Munster Club Championship titles and six Clare Senior Championship titles.
2013
Fitzgerald later spent five seasons as manager of the Clare senior team who he guided to the All-Ireland title in 2013 and a first National League title in 38 years.
2019
After stepping down as Clare manager he took charge of the Wexford senior team, winning the Leinster Championship in 2019.
On 26 September 2019, Fitzgerald confirmed that he would be staying on with the Wexford senior hurlers for another two seasons.
He had been linked to vacant Galway hurling managerial position but said that he never spoke to anyone other than the Wexford County Board.
He announced his departure from Wexford on 30 July 2021, and began a second term as Deise manager in August 2022.
