Sean ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald revealed the reaction Galway manager Padraic Joyce had when he told him he was heading on Love Island.

The now reality show star became a fan favourite on the show this summer, after forgoing the Championship season as the Tribesmen reached the All-Ireland quarter-final, losing to Dublin.

Fitzy is now back on the field, recently playing in a charity game as well as lining out for Bearna in the Galway Championship.

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Sean ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald at the Conrad Hotel in Dublin having returned from his time in the Love Island villa. Pic: Brian McEvoy

It was, of course, a big decision for the 25-year-old to make to enter the villa, especially when he was a nailed-on starter for Galway, starting in their 2024 All-Ireland Final defeat to Armagh.

Many were curious about the decision, but speaking to Malachy Clerkin in the Irish Times, Fitzy revealed that his manager Padraic Joyce was not one of them. ‘If there was any chance I’d be leaving the panel, I had to make sure it wasn’t going to come as a shock to [Joyce],’ Fitzgerald said.

‘I rang him and told him, “Look, nothing’s set in stone, I don’t know if this is going to happen at all but it might.”

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Sean ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald and Lola Deal. Pic: Instagram

He continued: ‘And he was great. He burst out laughing first of all. “F**k off! Love Island! No way!” He was actually just excited for me. He wasn’t like, “What the hell are you doing that for?” He was actually just proper excited, just buzzing for me. He was like, “That’s class. That’s some opportunity.”

Fitzy also added that his teammates were ‘buzzing’ to see him on the popular TV show, as they hosted watch parties to keep up with his antics in the villa.

He and his girlfriend Lola are now running a Cameo account, charging over €30 for a personalised video from the pair.