SHC QUARTER-FINAL Gavin Cummiskeyfinds the Wexford manager unbowed as his team prepare to face Waterford
IF THE All-Ireland hurling semi-final line-ups are to be decided by momentum alone, Kilkenny would be bracing themselves for Cork on August 10th with a Waterford and Tipperary meeting due a week later.
The dispatched provincial runners-up, Wexford and Clare, might yet have something to say about the power of momentum. These much-maligned teams get an opportunity to disrupt the expected last four in Thurles this Sunday.
John Meyler can be credited with keeping the Wexford ship afloat. Granted, there was the meltdown after half-time against Kilkenny in the Leinster final but that has become an almost inevitable occurrence.
With the psychological baggage of facing Kilkenny lifted, at least until September, should Wexford make it that far, the task of overcoming Waterford will hold no fear. There is no historical burden either; in fact, Wexford won the only recent championship meeting between these neighbours, in Nowlan Park back in 2003, 1-20 to 0-18.
In this year's opening round of the National League, Wexford came away from Walsh Park with a one-point victory.
It comes back to momentum. Wexford have none, having done what most people and maybe even they themselves expected: folding when Kilkenny upped the ante.
In contrast, Waterford have undoubtedly turned the corner under Davy Fitzgerald.
Antrim were easily accounted for but Offaly provided enough resistance to provide some much-needed belief.
It is also worth noting their two major championship challenges to date have produced excellent individual attacking performances from John Mullane (0-8 against Clare) and Eoin Kelly (a whopping 2-13 against Offaly).
Imagine the fireworks if both men return to that standard and are joined by Dan Shanahan this weekend. The 2007 hurler of the year has a measly 0-4 in this year's championship. If Waterford are to progress, that simply cannot go on.
A decent spread of scoring forwards has long been a problem in Wexford. Diarmuid Lyng (0-16) and Rory Jacob (1-8) have, for too long, been the main suppliers.
"Just look at Galway," replies Meyler when that is put to him. "They have Joe Canning who will get a good score and then they hope the rest will chip in.
"I suppose the best model at present is Tipperary.
"They haven't been overly reliant on Eoin (Kelly) this year while Séamus Callinan, John O'Brien and Lar Corbett have added a valuable amount of scores. Ideally you want about 1-7 from your free-taker and then contributions from the rest."
Meyler is asked about progress within the Wexford camp since the Leinster final on July 6th. Was the familiar third-quarter collapse discussed?
"There was no discussion about that. We instead focused on the 40 minutes when we played well. We did speak at length about maintaining such performances from the 40th to 65th minute.
"At this level, against the likes of Kilkenny and Cork every team will undergo a rough patch. In golf it is how you play your bad shots that keeps you in contention. Against Kilkenny we conceded 2-4 by the 12th minute of the second half and were finished.
"Waterford scored 1-4 early against Offaly, meaning they were forced to chase the game right from the off. That can be difficult, especially with the confidence it gives another team. Galway got to 60 minutes against Kilkenny in last year's quarter-final but Kilkenny turned it up again."
He also conceded the immediate difference between Wexford and Waterford, the salient contrast between the elite teams and the also-rans really: "They, as ever, are now gearing up to win an All-Ireland. Our thought process is to win the match and take it from there."
Last Sunday Wexford people made their way up the N11 in good spirits only to see the footballers obliterated by a horrible 23-point margin.
Those who continue to travel could really do with a strong pick-me-up.
"Some of the lads went up to it. Dublin were excellent on the day. It was game over after five minutes. Good teams can do that to you that quickly. That's what we are trying to get across."
