WEXFORD SENIOR HURLER Rory Jacob has blasted the media critics of his club team Oulart-the-Ballagh in the wake of their AIB Leinster SHC club final loss last Sunday.
In a series of tweets on his own account, Jacob was particularly irate with the criticism of his teammate Eoin Moore who wore leggings during the game due to medical advice as he sought to combat a knee injury.
“One so call commentator questioned one of my teammates wearing of leggings in the game on Sunday. This player had knee ligament damage and was advised on medical grounds to wear the leggings.
“This player performed admirably in the game and the so called commentator who ridiculed him maybe should have focused on this players performance rather than the gear he wore. But I would expect nothing different from somebody who courts controversy.”
Jacob also hit back at suggestions that Oulart-the-Ballagh lack bottle after losing to Mount Leinster Rangers in what was their fourth successive provincial senior club final defeat.
“Our character and bottle has been questioned over the last few days. It takes bottle and character to get to 10 county finals in a row winning 8. It takes bottle and character to win 5 county championships in a row, something no other club in Wexford has ever done.
“It takes bottle and character to get to 4 Leinster club finals in a row and to be beaten in them all and still come back for more. In sport criticism is part and parcel of the game and I for one accept it as something you have to live with.
“Over the last few days I have heard comments from respected people who know the game and I respect their views on the reasons why we did not perform as a group on Sunday.
“However some of the guff being written and said both nationally and locally by people who have never even played the game or use their position of power in the media to get digs in at people has been nothing short of a scandal.
“We have come up short on occasion through our own faults but that does not give anybody the right to publicly or privately castigates us as some sort of lesser men because we did not win on Sunday.”
Mount Leinster’s Gary Kelly and Rory Jacob of Oulart-The Ballagh
Pic: INPHO/James Crombie
Jacob vowed that the side will be back next year attempting to retain their Wexford crown and paid tribute to their conquerors Mount Leinster Rangers.
“I don’t know whether we will ever get the opportunity again to win a Leinster medal. But I know one thing for sure, I will be back in the pitch in Oulart next year striving to win the Wexford club championship.
“I will have a group of committed Oulart-the-Ballagh men with me whose whole life has been dedicated to hurling.
“Mount Leinster Rangers deserved their victory on Sunday and fair play to them they took their chance when it arose and the best of good luck to them.”
