Hurlers back in big time
Poacher’s goal from Jacob seals league title
IT WASN’T stylish and it wasn’t spectacular, but the result was all that mattered in Semple Stadium, Thurles, on May 2, 2010, when the Wexford Senior hurlers were rewarded for their persistence in a poor Allianz League Division 2 final clash with Clare.
The return to the top flight after a two-year gap was ensured at the death when Rory Jacob refused to give up on what appeared to be a lost cause, forcing netminder Philip Brennan into an awful error and securing the match-winning goal.
And relief rather than elation marked the general mood after the 1-16 to 2-9 win, as it left Wexford no longer having to rely on possible structural changes in the make-up of the competition to be guaranteed games against the big boys in 2011.
Manager Colm Bonnar had piled on the negativity in his public utterances in the week before the game, using every opportunity to highlight the problems attached with being in Division 2, as if any county had a God-given right to perform in the higher sector.
His hurlers were decidedly more positive on the field because, while it wasn’t pretty at times, they kept their wits about them and continued to have a go for scores despite a mounting tally of wides.
Nobody typified this better than midfielder Colm Farrell who hit two priceless second-half points to bring his overall haul to three, shortly after missing the target with a couple of efforts.
With a final wides count of 18 to Wexford and 15 to Clare, this was no classic, but the bottom line is that it was a bright ending to a campaign that was in danger of unravelling after an early shock loss to Carlow.
Scores were scarce in the opening half, with the Munster men edging ahead by 1-4 to 0-6 at the break following a late goal from Colin Ryan.
A long delivery by Jonathan Clancy hopped up invitingly inside the full-back line, and the scorer stole a march on Paul Roche to drive it sweetly to the net.
Although Wexford edged ahead on the re-start, with captain Diarmuid Lyng contributing points from a free and play, they found themselves with another deficit to overcome at the end of the third quarter.
John Conlon robbed Keith Rossiter and fired his first pull off the woodwork, and the rebound beat the Oulart-The Ballagh man at the post and barely trickled into the net for a 2-6 to 0-10 lead.
That concession led to a notable rise in tempo within the Wexford ranks, and the surge was rewarded with four points on the trot from Diarmuid Lyng and Colm Farrell (two apiece).
Two Colin Ryan frees left the sides deadlocked (0-14 to 2-8), with Lyng arrowing over a glorious line ball before Jonathan Clancy equalised.
Eoin Quigley restored the lead, and the goal that sealed victory arrived some 96 seconds into added time.
Colm Farrell’s drive into the heavens from midfield was more a relieving clearance than a probing pass, and it should have been comfortably dealt with by Philip Brennan as Rory Jacob chased him down, with Domhnall O’Donovan for company.
However, the number one completely fluffed his pick-up, and Jacob stretched his stick to the ball and managed to guide it to the net.
It was a real poacher’s goal, the 35th on his 93rd Senior appearance, and arguably the most important of all given the prize it secured.
In a nice touch, G.A.A. President Christy Cooney called on the late Sheamus Howlin, Leinster Council Chairman at the time, to present the cup to his St. Martin’s clubmate, Diarmuid Lyng, whose acceptance speech was entirely as Gaeilge.
It made a welcome change to see the Wexford players in the presentation area of the stand afterwards, rather than looking on forlornly from the pitch as an opposing team celebrated.
Wexford: Noel Carton; Paul Roche, Keith Rossiter, Ciarán Kenny; Richie Kehoe, Darren Stamp, Malachy Travers; Harry Kehoe, Colm Farrell (0-3); Andrew Shore, Eoin Quigley (0-1), Diarmuid Lyng (capt., 0-7, 3 frees, 1 line ball); Rory Jacob (1-2), Stephen Banville (0-1), Peter Atkinson (0-1). Subs. - P.J. Nolan (0-1) for Shore (HT), Michael Jacob for Atkinson (53), Lar Prendergast for Roche, inj. (62), Tomás Mahon for Banville (68).