Yesterday was more than a hurling match for the Wexford squad, management and fans.

It was about a county seeking to restore pride and every player under John Meyler's watch was asked to give an honest account of himself. No one was thinking or talking of victory . . . just a return to the values of hard work and good old-fashioned Wexford determination. Tipperary had felt stung after being written-off before the Cork game and that same insult inspired the Wexford lads yesterday. They came out of the traps with intent in their stride and even if they missed four great goal chances, at least we knew they were up to make a fight of it.

The standard of striking and linking by both sides was poor in this period but the game improved significantly on the changeover. They went for it with everything and you sensed there would be a moment where fortune would favour the brave. And there's none braver on any county team than Damien Fitzhenry.

Cometh the hour, cometh the hero of a thousand battles to bury the ball from that 20metre free with little real time left on the clock.

He wasn't the only big player on the day. The defence was mercurial all through and Keith Rossiter was magnificent in the amount of ball he won when it was most wanted. So too Richie Kehoe who seemed to have a magnet in his hand with the amount of ball he attracted in the second half. And what about Declan Ruth. Dead and buried as an intercounty hurler before the half-time whistle in the Leinster final, he had some resurrection and redemption yesterday. We won't forget Paul Roche either as he marked well and cleared an amount of astute ball.

The Wexford backs drove the whole team on; at first the forwards were misfiring with three replaced but Meyler's team did well and got the right men on by game's end. Doc O'Connor shipped more abuse than most but he stood up to it and his two points were crucial. Barry Lambert and Rory Jacob scored some goal between them . . . they had that edge which Wexford need in their attackers if they are to cut the mustard.

Tipp didn't look good from the off; not starting Eoin Kelly disadvantaged themselves in the end because if he was on from the start, he probably would have got two or three more scores. And that might have been the difference between winning and losing in the end. Wexford face another big question now that it's Kilkenny they'll face in the semi-final but that's for another day and I would be disappointed if the margin is as big as 2-24 to 1-12 next time around.

Let's give some credit to Ger Loughnane and Galway though for pushing the champions right down to the last six or seven minutes. They took a leaf from Wexford's book in their full-blooded approach to the game and it was only when Eddie Brennan cut loose that they were finally killed off.