Jacob’s scoring blast ensures back-to-back titles

AN historic day for Wexford camogie in Croke Park yesterday, the first time they had done back-to-back at senior level, and also their first ever intermediate title.

The first wouldn’t have happened, however, but for the late scoring heroics of team captain and full-forward Ursula Jacob, of the famed Wexford hurling family.

Less than eight minutes to go Wexford trailed by a goal, their vaunted attack in trouble against an outstanding Galway defence, when up stepped Ursula. First, a goal, to level the game, then a pointed free from 30m in front, and finally the insurance point, after wing-forward Kate Kelly had won vital possession and set her up with a perfect pass.

“I just remember a high ball coming across the square,” she said of the goal. “I wouldn’t be known for my aerial ability, I just said I was going for it. I knew we wouldn’t have many chances the way it was going, only six or seven minutes left, I said I’d put my hand up. I turned on to my left side, shot at the goal and thankfully it went in.”

The mark of a champion, surely – when the need was greatest there she was, did whatever it took.

And the final two points? “After I got the free to go a point up there was only two minutes left and I was thinking – Jesus, I don’t want to leave it to chance, just one point. I remember Kate hand-passed to me, I just shot at the goals and thankfully it went over. A two-point lead is dangerous, they got a couple of frees at the end and thankfully our backs cleared the lines.”

That’s three ‘thankfullys’ from Ursula in those few sentences, and well indeed might she be grateful to whatever Gods there are looking over these major sporting events. Truth be told Galway dominated this game almost from start to finish, looked the fitter, stronger, better team.

Defeat is their lot, however, for the second year in-a-row in the final, and again by two points. Hard to take, and most were in bits as they headed for the sanctuary of their dressing-room following the cup presentation.

“Lookit, it’s really, really, really hard to take – what more can I say?” said coach Noel Finn. “I thought all our backs played well, things just didn’t happen for our forwards.

“Other days we were putting up big scores, getting them easy, today they were just the wrong side of the posts, a foot, inches, whatever.” Can he keep them together for one more tilt at it? “Very hard to say at this stage. I don’t know – the last thing on their minds now is camogie, they’re absolutely gutted.”