"This win is good for hurling"

"COME ON, don't waste 19 years," cried out an anxious Wexford voice as Larry Murphy missed an easy chance for a point in the dying minutes.

A couple of minutes later the giant screen on the Hill had confirmed that no real harm was done by Murphy's misdirected shot. The message was up there in lights: "Comhghairdeas do Loch Garman".

Wexford had every right to be rejoicing the end of a hurling famine. That a tough match had not been particularly graced with fluency of skills mattered not. Liam Griffin saw it this way: "We battled and battled hard, even when we lost sticks. It was a war of attrition more so than a good game of hurling. What we showed above all was that we have developed such a strong character as a team, that it is not going to die.

"So far we have proved that we are no bad team. They reminded me today of the Wexford of the 1950s and 1960s - a gutsy team performance."

He told the Galway players: "It's difficult for you lads. We know what it is like to lose after all those years. We were prepared to die out there. Ye missed a lot of chances. Maybe it was our will to win, our hunger that saw us through. I don't know. I am really sorry there had to be a loser after a match like that."

Back in the tunnel he told reporters "it's a fairytale come true and isn't it great that George (O'Connor) and Billy (Byrne) were there to enjoy it. It's really wonderful to be in Wexford these days. This win is not only good for Wexford but it is good for hurling.

"Fitz (Fitzhenry) was great and so was Sean Flood in defence, Ger (Cush), Rod (Guiney), Adrian (Fenlon) in midfield. I could go on and it's only right I do, for this was a team effort from beginning to end. I really don't have much time for superstars. We aim for team performance and we got it in full measure today.

"I thought their (Galway's) last goal a bit lucky and the penalty award a bit dubious. But Galway are a young team - they will be back again.

What about the All-Ireland final and Limerick? "I won't even think about it until Wednesday at the earliest. This is really something to savour. It's really fantastic."

And with that, there was very little more for Liam Griffin to say.

Galway were extremely gracious in defeat. The notion was that being beaten by Wexford was not something to whinge about. "We feel that either team that wins the All Ireland now is going to be good for hurling," said Mattie Murphy, the Galway team manager.

"To lose players of the calibre of Joe Cooney and Joe Rabbitte in a game like that was crucial. We are not whingers. We will bounce back." When asked to comment on Galway's missed opportunities Murphy said: "Hurling is a frustrating game. It is all part of the reason for it being such a great game."

Joe Cooney reckoned his nose was broken: "I could not see when I got the knock. There was a big difference in that Wexford team today and the side we beat in the League final."

Joe Rabbitte, who received pain killers at half time for his ankle injury, said that he was not surprised that Wexford won. He had recognised the makings of a fine side in the League. Yet, he was convinced that the penalty save "had a huge bearing" on the outcome.

George O'Connor was happy to see that the younger Wexford players were taking it all in their stride: "There is lots of fighting spirit in this team, the hunger we have to win will not die."