HURLING'S wheel comes around again tomorrow with three of the semi finalists from 41 years ago once again taking the field at Croke Park.

This wouldn't be particularly remarkable but for the comparative rarity with which new Munster and Leinster champions emerge. It is, in fact, the first time since 1955 that both Wexford and Limerick have reached the last four.

That year's final was a momentous one for Wexford. Their team, having already lost a couple of finals since breaking through in the early 1950s, won their first All Ireland since 1910.

Unusually, the Leinster and Munster champions met in the semi final of `55, with Wexford winning by nine points against the team, trained by Mick Mac key, which had run a more fancied Clare side into the ground in the Munster final a topic that came up more than once after Clare finally avenged the defeat in last year's Munster final.

Wexford disposed of Galway with only slightly less difficulty, in the final. Jim English was wing back for Wexford that day and was to captain the side that retained the All Ireland a year later, again beating Galway en route.

"We always had a great regard for Galway," he says. "They had a good team around then although they were getting on. In the early 1950s, Tipp were the team to beat and afterwards Cork. By then (1955), we were on top of Tipp which was a boost, but had lost the `54 All Ireland to Cork. We were unlucky to lose and I think we began to gain in confidence after it.

"Wexford always had great support, win, lose or draw. Losing in 1951 didn't matter because we were there and we tried. It was a great help to us. They never turned their back on us. Maybe a bit like Clare last year. If was unbelievable from Arklow to Wexford town. Even coming through Wicklow, the crowds turned out.

"I don't really remember much about the day apart from winning. I was confident there was more to come. I was only the chap of the team at that time. Art Foley, Tim Flood and myself were the only small fellas on the team. Everyone else was 14 stone and could take anything that came."

"The game has changed. It was more physical then you got shouldered then and went down and mightn't get up again. It's easier to get frees now and the game is more down to stick work, you won't get the same tackles. It'd probably suit me now, but you have to go with the times.

English moved to Carlow in 1958 and lives in Bagenalstown. Since his playing days, he has been a prominent administrator in Carlow and is chairman of the county board. Now, for the first summer in nearly 20 years, he has the opportunity to maintain his primary allegiance into August. What does he make of the latest generation of Wexford men to take on the All Ireland?

"It was possibly the first time in a number of years that I saw them play as a unit, everyone working for each other. They've probably learned the lesson from Kilkenny and Offaly, keep possession and use it well. They would have had it in mind that they should have beaten Offaly in the past and didn't. They played very well as a team and that was the main difference."