THERE have been dark days - too many - when the gods mocked Wexford hurlers. Some of the older players thought they would never savour the good times. Days to be chaired shoulder high across the Croke Park sward. Days when they'd see grown men cry tears of joy, rather than weep with sorrow. Days to remember all your life.

Tom Dempsey was one of them, frustrated at what people considered to be Wexford's lot. Forever the bridesmaids, the cruel hand of fate awaiting their every move. Perennial losers.

"There were so many times I woke up on a Monday morning and thought the world had just ended," he recalled. There were times he considered retirement. Now, however, Dempsey - at 31 years of age - is glad he didn't throw in the towel.

Wexford, the Leinster champions, are in the All-Ireland Final and, boy, does it feel good. Sunday's showdown with Limerick, in front of a capacity crowd at Croke Park, justifies all the hard work, all the heartache. "I'm enjoying it more now than I ever could have done when I was 21," said Dempsey. "Very few teams have ever gone into an All-Ireland final as relaxed as we are."

He has earned his stripes, soldiering on in Wexford's name for 12 years. Although Dempsey has the solace of an All-Ireland club title with Buffer's Alley in 1989, the play-anywhere campaigner - "the only outfield positions I haven't played in for Wexford are in the full-back line," he said - couldn't glory in a Leinster championship title with the county until six weeks ago.

Dempsey is now enjoying the best of times: "It has been worth the wait. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever play in an All-Ireland final. It has been different this year. Liam (Griffin) delves a lot into the mental side, making you believe you are going to win. He looks for reasons to win. I think the mental attitude in the past was probably our biggest problem.

"I also think we have got the little bit of luck that used to desert us at vital times. No disrespect to Galway, but in the semifinal, they played the classic Wexford game. Usually, we are the ones with 16 or 17 wides, whereas, on that occasion, it was Galway

The whole county has gone hurling mad. People cross the road to shake hands, indulge in small talk. Chance their arm for a ticket.

When the team booked a place in the All-Ireland Final, up to 7,000 supporters greeted their reentry into the county. "I missed the reaction after the Leinster Final because I was doing best man at a wedding in Sligo the next day, but I believe it was utter pandemonium. These are the sort of memories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives."

Then there are the kids. It was getting to a dangerous stage in Wexford hurling. "Yeh, the likes of Eric Cantona ruled the waves, particularly in the last couple of years," conceded Dempsey. He looks to the sky. "Maybe somebody up there was thinking about us because we needed something down here to get Wexford jerseys back on the youngsters."

It is a reference to a sports survey conducted in national schools in the county earlier this year, when the Frenchman topped the poll. Dempsey laughs. "If that same survey was carried out now, I'd bet you someone like Martin Storey would come out tops. Still, it was getting pretty desperate really. Everybody was looking to soccer. If you have nothing really to cling on to as a youngster, no hurling hero, you won't go in that direction. Soccer was offering something. Thankfully, this summer has changed things a bit," he said.

The role of live television, however, has also been an important factor. "This year, everyone seems to have watched the matches; even people who don't normally follow the GAA. The live, visual impact is a big thing," claimed Dempsey. "The six o'clock experiment last year didn't work. This year has been great for the GAA - and hurling."

One hurling drama after another has unfolded throughout the summer but Dempsey dips back into Clare's achievements last year for his inspiration. "They broke a much bigger bogey than even Wexford have had to break. And we did say to ourselves, `if they can do it, so can we'."

However, it wasn't just Clare's feats which acted as his inspiration. Dempsey would read the newspapers to see what other top sportsmen were saying. Like Tyrone's Peter Canavan. Or the Dublin footballers. "If you can get a little bit from all those guys, you actually learn a lot," he stated.

Wexford haven't lifted the Liam McCarthy Cup since 1968. The likes of Dempsey, George O'Connor, who was on seven Leinster Final losing sides before finally savouring success last month, and Billy Byrne have become father-like figures to the younger players in the squad.

"The young fellas who have come in, Rory (McCarthy), Gary (Laffan), Rod Guiney and the rest don't need a lot of coaxing because they are very, very dedicated. I always look at it from the point of view that we are the lucky ones to have them around rather than they're the lucky ones to have us. We didn't win anything until they came along, so we owe them a debt of gratitude," insisted Dempsey. "They are all very down to earth lads with great attitude and temperaments."

It is somewhat ironic that Limerick and Wexford - two teams who would generate quite a deal of neutral support (and sympathy) throughout the country - have managed to reach the All Ireland Final. Someone has to lose. But, then, someone else has to win.

"Of all the teams around, I really respect Limerick," said Dempsey. "In that one particular day in 1994, Limerick mirrored what we felt for over 20 years. We've had knocks like that - maybe in earlier rounds but there is no doubt about it, they are hungry, like us, and a team to respect.

"They have only been beaten once in three years of Munster championship hurling, so we are under no illusions about the task facing us on Sunday. We have to get our own game in order and hope that it is enough to beat Limerick. We are not afraid of this game. We are looking forward to it."