MAURICE FITZGERALD WAS one of the most gifted sportsmen of his generation. The Kerry was blessed with remarkable skill and the rare ability to kick scores on either foot off the ground or from his hands.
Fitzgerald won 1997 Footballer of the Year, three Allstars, two All-Irelands, six Munster championships and a National League during his playing days with the Kingdom and is widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards ever to grace the game.
The Cahirciveen and St. Mary’s club man is giving a tour of Croke Park as part of the Bord Gáis Energy Legends Tour on Saturday.
We’ve put together a few of Fitzgerald’s most inspiring moments in the Green-and-Gold.
1. His most famous score – the sideline point against Dublin in the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final
2. This curling free in the 1991 All-Ireland semi-final against Down
3. His brilliant solo goal against Armagh in the 2000 All-Ireland semi-final
4. His teasing fourth point in the 1997 All-Ireland final
5. This left-footed free from an acute angle the same day
6. Another spectacular sideline point from the ’97 game
7. The rest of his scores in what became known as the ‘Maurice Fitzgerald final’
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Any moments we missed out on? Let us know in the comments section below.
Maurice had it all. And he did it with style too.
Yeah he played for Kerry
Yeah he played for Kerry didn’t he?
As a dub who cursed him the day he scored from the sideline it was a pleasure to watch a master at work. There is a way to win,and there is a way to lose. No shame losing to a bit of magic from the big man.
Was at that final as an 18 yr old watching Kerry lift the cup for the first time I could remember.
Will never forget it. Liam O Flaherty would have got the Man of the Match but for the brilliance of Fitzy.
I’d nearly have thrown in one from his debut munster final. He scored from all angles. Cork won 1-14 to 0-16 thanks to a great Dinny Allen goal but an 18 year old Maurice settled into a team of stars as if he’d been there all his life. He got 10 points that day including 2 from play. Some man.
Favourite all time GAA player. A truly gifted footballer who made the game beautiful to watch. Great memories of watching him play.
Remember 96 MUNSTER final in pissing rain in cork I was only 15,he scored 2 screamers from ground 60yards out wet ball boots & eased em over!!
One of gifted classiest football players I ever seen,just a natural loved watching him play my fav. Player of all time!!
My favourite footballer of all time bar none. Unfortunately he played at a time when GAA coverage was crap, and when Kerry were at their lowest ebb since, well, ever. He had so many good games over his career, from the get-go in 88. The Munster final of 99 where he was sent off for dropping Clifford in the rain down in the Pairc stands out too, but isn’t on video anywhere.
His Kerry career petered out because management couldn’t accommodate a naturally fit player who didn’t need the conditioning of John O’Keeffe, as he had the conditioning of the Atlantic Ocean.
His composure was missed in 2002, when he was still able bodied, and had he been available then I’ve no doubt Kerry would have beaten Armagh when so many straight forward opportunities were missed in the second half.
Plenty of good moments in the twilight of his career too, when he navigated the Kerry Championship for an excellent South Kerry side who dominated county football for the guts of 3 years.
A genius, and the greatest for me.
He was born on December 31st. So when he was scoring ten points against cork in his first senior munster final, he actually missed on the minors that year by a few hours!
Best footballer of the last 30 years at least.