Minnows enjoy their day in the rain

Before the start of play, there was bleak talk that this venue would mark the end of the road for Longford. For the rest of us at Kennedy Park, it just seemed like the end of the world.

Championships weren't supposed to be like this. Fans from Longford and the home towns squeezed under the stand as blankets of dismal rain spilled across the park and we were treated to a rendition of, "If I said you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me." It sounded forlornly appropriate given the surrounds. Afterwards though, the old ground crackled with happy talk, veins warmed by the standard of the fare. Even the skies brightened.

Leigh O'Brien emerged from the Wexford dressing-room and into the fresh air and at least he could still smile. After firing three marvellous points from dead-balls, the surprise was that he elected to pass in the definitive moment.

We were still envisaging the trajectory of his shot when he flicked a quick ball onto his defensive partner Rory Stafford who instead launched a late reprieve for the home side.

"I knew there was a bit of time left, and I was hoping Rory would work it in and try and get a goal. I didn't think Rory would go for a point, but we got a draw, another bite at the cherry and that's the main thing. Longford just don't give up, we knew this would be tough."

Trevor Smullen, Longford's tireless wing back, shakes his head and enthuses at what he has just contributed to.

"Yeah, I thought it was a good game of football. Tough old conditions, the ball really spilled about a lot, but there were some good scores taken. I felt our new lads acquitted themselves really well in such a tense game. I suppose there was a lot of tired legs out towards the end, which maybe gave the forwards a bit more space to work with."

His manager, Michael McCormack, shrugs at having to do it all again.

"Well, very pleased really. We are a young side and to come down here and find ourselves two points up with a few minutes to go is really encouraging. Okay, it was a draw, but we have worked hard for this and are looking forward to next week."

Gloomy light encases the Wexford dressing-room and Ger Halligan stands there long after his players have departed.

"We could never seem to get it together properly, but the lads just never gave up. We know we got out of jail and are delighted. The goal was vital and they were unlucky not to get another in the first half which would have had us in serious trouble. A few of our forwards had been going well, but not today. It wasn't Jason's (Lawlor) day, so hopefully the next day."

And it is pleasing that these two teams have another day. "Come September," says Halligan, "Nobody is going to say it was great being in New Ross that day at the start of the championship, no one would even remember. But the likes of Longford and Wexford just don't get the headlines for whatever reason. There was some great score-taking there today, and I'm sure it'll be the same next weekend." With that, he lopes off to plan an extension of Wexford's summer.