We showed great spirit, says Meyler

THE LAST TIME we spoke to Wexford manager John Meyler he was almost distraught, his team having just been crucified by Kilkenny in the Leinster final.

However, on Saturday, after this underdog win over Tipperary in the All-Ireland quarter-final, it was all smiles. “This showed the spirit, pride, passion and commitment of Wexford hurling,” said Meyler. “All the things that are good about Wexford hurling – the last time you didn’t see that. We spoke for two hours on the Tuesday night after the Kilkenny match; we sat down, it was an honest open conversation, everything was thrown up on the table, people said what they had to say. We went training then on the Thursday night and the level of intensity, the commitment, the effort, was absolutely fantastic. We went up a gear today, we need to go up to fourth gear next week.” Up to fourth, to fifth, to overdrive, because on the basis of their clinical ten-point win over Galway, Kilkenny have already moved on.

An integral part of that gear change will incorporate efficiency, taking your chances. Against Tipperary, Wexford created six chances in the first half, took none. They won’t get that many openings against Kilkenny, so those that come will have to be converted. “Quigley, Barry Lambert had good chances but maybe if we’d got those early on we’d have fallen back. There were goal chances, but then Lambert got a great goal in the second half, he got inside the corner-back, great ball from Rory Jacob. It’s there, you have to admit it’s there, but we need to keep it there, that’s all.”