Jacob primed for Neighbours Day

IT is difficult to believe, but Sunday’s meeting of Wexford and Waterford in the All-Ireland quarter-final is only the second time in the 120-year history of the GAA that these two neighbouring counties have met in championship hurling.

An indictment of the system that’s been in operation over all those decades, says Wexford captain Rory Jacob.

“Oh sure it’s a pity alright, it brings a great atmosphere to it when you have neighbouring counties playing each other. The last time we met, and the first time, was in 2003, in Nowlan Park. It’s because we hadn’t been winning provincial championships in the same year. But that’s the system, you have to deal with it, and I don’t think it’s going to change very much in the near future.”

Adding substance to Rory’s argument, that lone championship encounter between the counties was a cracker. Having gone under to Cork in a brilliant Munster final, and with Wexford having suffered yet another defeat to Kilkenny, Waterford went into the game as hot favourites, and with just over 20 minutes gone were well in control. Six points ahead, hurling with the kind of power and skill that made them the most attractive team in the nation when they were on song, the Déise men looked headed for a spectacular victory.

Then came Larry Murphy, and it all changed. “I think he came on with about 10 minutes left in the first half, Adrian Fenlon got injured, and Larry just had one of those days when everything went right for him. He caught balls everywhere, sort of inspired us really. It was Larry who made the difference on the day.”

It wasn’t just Larry, however. The final score was 1-20 to 0-18, but Rory was the one who got the only goal, a one-handed Federer-style forehand smash to the net just before half-time, a score that really brought Wexford back into the match.

He added three points to that goal too, finished with an impressive 1-3 from play, proof that when he gets a decent supply of ball, this guy is one of the game’s best finishers. The problem when playing with a team as inconsistent as Wexford is getting that supply.

“Ah sure it can be frustrating at times, but that’s the nature of playing corner-forward, it happens to everyone. Corner-forward can be a lonely place when the ball isn’t coming in, you can get frustrated but there’s no point in that — you have to wait, bide your time, and when the chance comes, take it.”

Rory’s brother Michael spent several years in the Wexford forward line, equally frustrating years, on and off the team. This year Michael has been shifted back to wing-back by manager John Meyler, close to the centre-back position in which their father, Mick Jacob, became something of a national legend — he has thrived there, starred in game after game. So, has Rory been tempted to ask Meyler for a similar move outfield? “No, I don’t think we’ll be doing that any time soon. I’m happy to be picked at corner-forward! It’s true that you’re involved a lot more in the play in the half-back line but then again if the right kind of ball is coming in, the corner is a great place to play.”

Speaking of Meyler, Rory is an unabashed admirer. “Honesty and passion, that’s him, he has it in abundance and that’s something he brought with him from day one, and that’s what he’s trying to get from us as well. He’s after doing great work with us over the last two years, the effort he has put in has improved the team, there’s no doubt about that.”

They’re going to need all that improvement this Sunday, Rory and his teammates, against a Waterford team on the road to recovery.

“The players they have, some of the top hurlers over the past decade. (Davy) Fitzgerald (new manager) is in there now and I’m sure he’ll do a great job with them. He’s starting the mind-games already, ‘Wexford will be licking their palms waiting to play Waterford,’ but that’s just trying to play down expectations in Waterford.

“Eoin Kelly gave a solid exhibition last weekend in the win over Offaly, John Mullane the same, then they have Dan Shanahan, Ken McGrath, Tony Browne, all great players — you have to respect them.”

Self-respect is the real challenge for Wexford though, in Thurles, winning back some self-respect after yet again falling badly in the Leinster final.

“Our mindset will be as it’s been all year, that if we go out and hurl as well as we can we have a great chance of beating anyone. Focus on getting our performance right, and if we do we have a great chance, if we don’t we haven’t a hope. It’s all about those 70 minutes on the field. Nothing that happened before makes any difference, nothing that happens afterwards, it’s all about getting it right for those 70 minutes, playing the game, seeing what will happen.”