Jacob backs league challenge

Wexford hurler Rory Jacob has backed his county board’s threat to legally challenge the new league proposals should they be passed by Central Council tomorrow.

The veteran forward says Wexford are right to do everything in their power to stop becoming victims of another league rearrangement. At a special board meeting on Wednesday night, it was agreed Wexford will oppose the new format should it be successful “with all means at our disposal and will exhaust all the GAA’s appeal mechanisms and resort to legal remedies should it be required”.

They claim the proposal being put forward tomorrow is out of order as they hadn’t previously been discussed by Central Council.

Wexford are seeking an audience with Management Committee this evening who, on the advice of the Central Competitions Control Committee, have put forward the new model, which would reintroduce Cork and Limerick into a larger Division 1A and leave the likes of Wexford and Offaly in a six-team Division 1B.

Wexford maintain a two-thirds majority is required to overturn Central Council’s vote last December to keep the six-team divisions but link Division 1A and 1B with quarter-finals.

However, the GAA are confident only a simple majority is required to change the format.

In a statement yesterday, the Wexford County Board pointed out: “If these changes occur this will be the ninth change to the National Hurling League structures in 16 years.”

Jacob stressed Wexford are well within the right to defend the interests of hurling in the county. “I can understand where they’re coming from. It’s all about trying to make the game stronger and I don’t know why this proposal has come in.

“The big argument for me is we seem to be getting the brunt of it all. A couple of years ago [2011], we stayed up in Division 1 and then we were put down [to Division 1B in 2012]. We beat Cork and drew with Tipp in the last game to stay up then we were deemed not good enough to stay in the top division.

“Why we seem to get the brunt of it all the time I don’t know. It’s very strange to recommend an eight-team Division 1A and then a six-team Division 1B.”

Jacob points out the provincial winners this year, Dublin and Limerick, both won their respective competitions having spent the summer in Division 1B.

“If we were put up into the top grade it wouldn’t be fair either. It’s not promoting the game, really. All it’s doing is promoting the game between those eight counties and nothing for anyone lower.

“I don’t think Wexford are arguing they should be in the top grade but we’re only going to get five round games and the eight in Division 1A are going to get seven.”

Having come on to the Wexford panel in 2002, Jacob can recall “five or six changes” to the National Hurling League.

“I don’t know what the solution is but there’s definitely a case for having more games. There was a good structure in the mid-2000s when you played your group and if you were good enough to finish in the top three of six teams you’d qualify for a better group but they don’t seem to be interested in that.

“If you look at the teams in Division 1B this year, they didn’t have too bad a season. You saw what Limerick and Dublin did, Wexford didn’t have too bad of a season and Laois made progress. Offaly ran Kilkenny close too.

“Why these teams have to be scapegoats, I don’t know,” said Jacob, who lines out for Oulart-The Ballagh in Sunday’s county semi-final against Shelmaliers.

“For the people of Wexford, hurling is a big thing but there will be a big difference in the crowds.

“Very few people will come to games if they’re not attractive.”

Wexford are unlikely to get support from fellow Division 1B side Antrim, according to chairman Jim Murray.

“We’re building towards Division 1A but realistically we’re not there yet.”