Maurice Fitzgerald (born 1969) is an Irish Gaelic football selector and former player. His league and championship career at senior level with the Kerry county team spanned fourteen seasons from 1988 to 2001.
Born in Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Fitzgerald was born into a strong Gaelic football family. His father, Ned Fitzgerald, was an All-Ireland medal winner with Kerry in 1955 before later captaining the side in 1957. Fitzgerald's brother-in-law Colm O'Neill is a two-time All-Ireland medal winner with Cork, while his nephew, Shane O'Neill is a soccer player with Orlando City SC.
Fitzgerald played competitive Gaelic football during his schooling at Cahersiveen CBS and won several county championship medals in various grades. He later played with University College Cork, winning a Sigerson Cup medal in 1987. By this stage Fitzgerald had become a regular member of the St Mary's club team, beginning a four-decade association with the team. He won numerous South Kerry championship titles before claiming a county intermediate championship medal in 2001. With divisional side South Kerry he won three successive county senior championship medals from 2004 to 2006.
Fitzgerald made his debut on the inter-county scene at the age of sixteen when he was added to the Kerry minor team. He enjoyed two championship seasons with the minor team, however, he was a Munster runner-up on both occasions. Fitzgerald subsequently joined the Kerry under-21 team, winning an All-Ireland medal in his final year on the team in 1990. By this stage he had also joined the Kerry senior team, making his debut during the 1987-88 league. Over the course of the next fourteen seasons, Fitzgerald won two All-Ireland medals in 1997 and 2000. He also won six Munster medals and one National Football League medal. He played his last game for Kerry in August 2001.
After being chosen on the Munster inter-provincial team for the first time in 1988, Fitzgerald was an automatic choice on the starting fifteen on a number of occasions. He ended his career without a Railway Cup medal.
During his career, Fitzgerald won three All Star awards, was named Footballer of the Year in 1997 and was selected on a list of the 125 greatest Gaelic footballers of all time in a 2009 poll. After scoring 12-205, Fitzgerald is the all-time third highest scorer for Kerry. He is also the all-time top scorer in the Munster Championship.
In retirement from playing Fitzgerald became involved in team management and coaching. He is heavily involved as a coach with the Coláiste na Sceilge senior team, while at club level he has served as manager of the St Mary's team, guiding them to an All-Ireland title in 2016. Later that year Fitzgerald became a selector with the Kerry senior team.
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Biography
Fitzgerald was born near Cahersiveen, County Kerry in 1969. He was born into a family that had a strong link to football in Kerry. His father Ned was a Kerry footballer of note back in the late 1950s while his uncle, Séamus O’Connor, is the holder of a record ten South Kerry Senior Football Championship medals.
Fitzgerald was educated at the local national school and later attended Cahersiveen CBS. It was here that his football talents were further developed and he won numerous county medals. Fitzgerald later studied at University College, Cork, however, he also became a key member of the UCC football team. In 1988 he won a Sigerson Cup medal following an 0–8 to 0–5 defeat of University College, Galway in the inter-varsities series of games.
As of 2009, Fitzgerald was working as a property auctioneer with Fitzgerald & O'Connor Ltd's Auctioneering firm, a family-run business established in 1979. He is the uncle of Shane O'Neill.
In 2018 Fitzgerald was appointed principal of Coláiste na Sceilge in Caherciveen.
Playing career
Club
Fitzgerald played club football with his local club called St Mary's in Cahersiveen; however, it is with divisional side South Kerry that he had his greatest successes at club level.
In 2004 South Kerry qualified for the final of the county football championship for the first time in twenty years. Laune Rangers provided the opposition; however, the divisional side never looked troubled at any stage of the match. At the full-time whistle victory went to South Kerry by 1–13 to 2–5 and Fitzgerald added a county winners' medal to his collection.
The following year South Kerry continued their domination of club football and reached the final of the county championship for the second year in succession. On this occasion Killarney-based club Dr Crokes provided the opposition. A close game developed; however, Fitzgerald's side were to the fore once again. A 0–12 to 1–6 victory resulted in a second consecutive club winners' medal for Fitzgerald. He also picked up the man-of-the-match award.
In 2006, for the third year in succession, the South Kerry team reached the final of the club championship. Dr Crokes provided the opposition for the second time in-a-row. In a low-scoring contest South Kerry retained their title giving Fitzgerald a third consecutive county winners' medal. The game was not without incident. Fitzgerald was involved in an accidental clash with his captain Paul O'Connor, and worried supporters saw him lay still for over eight minutes before being stretchered from the field. He was immediately transferred to Kerry General Hospital, and it was later reported that he had been concussed.
In 2007 South Kerry set out on the four-in-a-row trail. All went to plan as Fitzgerald's side reached a fourth county championship final in succession. Feale Rangers provided the opposition. A low-scoring game followed; however, Fitzgerald's side narrowly lost out by 1–4 to 0–6.
Senior
By this stage Fitzgerald had joined the Kerry senior football team. He made his senior championship debut in a provincial game against Waterford in 1988. It was a difficult time for Kerry as the team was adjusting to the decline of the team of the 1970s and 1980s, a team regarded by many as the greatest of all-time. In Fitzgerald's debut season Kerry reached the provincial decider and faced reigning Munster title-holders Cork. The game proved to be a close affair, however, a goal for ‘the Rebels’ proved the key in securing a 1-14 to 0-16 victory. Fitzgerald's performances in the provincial championship saw him pick up an All Star award.
In 1989 Fitzgerald lined out in his second Munster final. Once again it was near neighbours Cork who provided the opposition. On this occasion ‘the Rebels’ had a more emphatic victory as Fitzgerald's side lost out by 1–12 to 1–9.
1990 saw Kerry face Cork in the Munster final for the twenty-fifth successive year. It was Fitzgerald's third provincial decider in succession. However, ‘the Rebels’ recorded a surprise 2–23 to 1–11 victory. It was ‘the Kingdom’s’ biggest ever defeat by Cork.
The following year Kerry regrouped and Fitzgerald lined out in a fourth successive Munster final. Limerick broke the provincial duopoly and provided the opposition in the county's first Munster final since 1965. Kerry's point-scoring ability was just enough to counteract Limerick's goal-scoring prowess. A 0–23 to 3–12 victory gave Fitzgerald his first Munster winners' medal in the senior grade. This proved to be the highlight of the year as Kerry were defeated by eventual champions Down in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1992 Kerry reached the Munster final for the thirty-fifth year in-a-row. The traditional provincial duopoly remained broken as minnows Clare provided the opposition. Kerry were the red-hot favourites. However Clare emerged victorious by 2–10 to 0–12.
Kerry continued with their decline over the next few years when the team failed to even reach the provincial decider. In 1995 Fitzgerald lined out in his sixth Munster final; however, he had only been successful on one occasion. It was a ‘traditional’ final as Cork provided the opposition. ‘The Rebels’, however, had too much firepower for ‘the Kingdom’, and Fitzgerald's side lost out by 0–15 to 1–9.
Inter-provincial
Fitzgerald also lined out with his province in the inter-provincial series of games; however, he enjoyed little success. In 1989 he was listed among the substitutes when Munster faced Ulster in the final of the competition. That game was played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and a close encounter developed. Fitzgerald entered the game as a substitute; however, Munster were defeated by 1–11 to 1–8.
A lack of success for Kerry meant that it was 1994 before Fitzgerald played in his second Railway Cup final. Ulster provided the opposition once again, however, victory went to the northerners by 1–6 to 1–4.
Honours
Player
St. Mary's
Kerry Intermediate Football Championship (1): 2001
South Kerry Senior Football Championship (9) 1985,1991, 1992, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009,2010,
South Kerry
Kerry Senior Football Championship (3): 2004 (c), 2005, 2006
University College Cork
Sigerson Cup (1): 1988
Kerry
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (2): 1997, 2000
Munster Senior Football Championship (6): 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001
National Football League (1): 1996-97
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship (1): 1990
Munster Under-21 Football Championship (1): 1990
Individual
Awards
Texaco Footballer of the Year (1): 1997
All Stars Footballer of the Year (1): 1997
All Star Awards (3): 1988, 1996, 1997
In May 2020, a public poll conducted by RTÉ.ie named Fitzgerald in the full-forward line alongside Michael Murphy and Colm Cooper in a team of footballers who had won All Stars during the era of The Sunday Game.
Also in May 2020, the Irish Independent named Fitzgerald at number twelve in its "Top 20 footballers in Ireland over the past 50 years".
Manager
St Mary's
All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship (1): 2016
Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship (1): 2015
Kerry Intermediate Football Championship (1): 2015