THEY REALISED it was last chance saloon. Ciara O'Connor had just tapped over the lead free in the first minute of injury time to give Wexford their one-point advantage back in this Gala All-Ireland Intermediate camogie championship semi-final. Limerick knew it was now or never to keep their dreams alive. Louise Codd was intent on extinguishing those dreams. As the nervy crowd in Ardfinnan gazed on to produce an almost eerie backdrop, returning centre-back Codd plucked Síle Moynihan's puck-out from the sky, burst through a melee of surrounding Limerick midfielders and lashed over the clinching point from just inside half-way.

A moment of pure brilliance in a scatter-gun finale.

Cue a few nervous seconds before the final whistle went and Wexford dreams were realised. Supporters, coaching staff and Senior team members embraced the latest batch of heroines, rolling down the talent conveyor-belt like the new lines of Model county camogie merchandise we will hopefully see in the coming weeks, the fanciful plans of both management teams at the start of the year - to have two AllIreland winning sides - just one big, Croke Park-sized step away.

Managers often refuse to single out players for praise. Karen Barnes couldn't possibly not. Jean Hayden was just too good. Few corner-backs have ever dominated a match like Hayden did this. There are simply no adjectives to describe a player who won and cleared every ball that came within a 30-yard radius of her.

At the other end, Ciara O'Connor saved her best display of the year for this game. Buoyed on by an early goal, she picked off scores whenever the opportunities came her way. Even her frees, often limply low and ugly, were all well hit, especially as they came at vital times in the match.

Yet those two performances were aided by a cast of upstarts that continue to blossom under the stewardship of Barnes, and her little and large selectors, Ger O'Reilly and Ray Quigley. It's not a match that Wexford dominated in all aspects, but everyone worked their socks off to produce another victory for this unbeaten side.

It was a strong breeze that Wexford had to battle in the first-half, and it's hard to overstate how important the early goal was to this victory. Lorraine O'Connor's battling down the right allowed Ciara O'Connor to pick up the ball and break past Sarah Collins. It was an emphatic finish too as her handpassed effort nestled in the net just below crossbar level.

That third-minute strike aside, it was a tough slog for long periods of the half for Wexford. Limerick's best player, Eileen O'Brien-Costelloe, pointed from a tight angle on the right before a glorious opportunity almost saw the lead evaporate.

Michelle Casey got in behind Colleen Atkinson and was brilliantly found by Orla Curtin. It looked for all the world like she would goal, but her handpassed effort was slowed by Helena Jacob - enough to stick in the sanded goalmouth - and Atkinson recovered to stop the ball crossing the line as the referee eventually blew for a throw-in.

O'Brien-Costelloe pointed from even tighter to the end line moments later before her free in the 19th minute tied the game. Joanne O'Gorman raised the fourth Limerick white flag of the half with eight minutes remaining (0-4 to 1-0) but, despite the territorial dominance, they failed to build up a head of steam.

Instead, after a break of 23 minutes without a score, Wexford began to make inroads. A great spot by Lisa Bolger allowed Síona Nolan to tie the game before the rangy centre-forward was fouled moments later and Ciara O'Connor struck her side ahead.

A long run and pure strike gave O'Connor her second point in the last minute of the half before Fiona Rochford got her name on the scoresheet to edge her side into a three-point half-time lead (1-4 to 0-4).

Having registered just before the break, she did likewise on the resumption to give Wexford their largest lead of the day but, despite now having the elements at their backs, the score saw them regress into their shell and Limerick took full control of proceedings.

The defence coped wonderfully well with the incessant pressure but couldn't stop everything. Niamh Mulcahy dragged her side within three before a brace from O'Brien-Costelloe left the minimum between the sides with 17 minutes remaining.

O'Connor added a quickfire double to keep Wexford noses in front, but it was only a momentary hiatus in pressure as Mulcahy and Curtin countered for the Treaty girls (1-7 to 0-9).

When lively substitute Dympna O'Brien fed O' BrienCostello for the levelling score in the final minute, it looked likely that Limerick would use the momentum of three points in a row, and being level for the first time since the 28th minute, to go on and win it.

That wasn't counting on the heart, will and desire of this bunch of Wexford girls as Lisa Bolger, through tireless effort, won the free that O'Connor converted for the injury time lead. Codd's effort was the clincher and it really didn't matter how much time referee Mike O'Kelly chose to add on. Wexford were never going to be denied an historic final appearance against Offaly on September 12.

AFTER-MATCH REACTION

Wexford Intermediate camogie manager Karen Barnes pinpointed the game's only goal as crucial following her side's two-point victory Limerick on Saturday last.

'It was vital, in fairness to Ciara it was absolutely brilliant. We looked at the full-back and she was a slow girl and (we thought) maybe Ciara could turn her. She took the goal very well and it gave the girls a lift, getting that goal was the crucial score.'

She was also pleased with the performance of her defence, but admitted that one player in particular stood out.

'The six backs, every one of them tried their hardest. They were driving the ball up the field, some of the forwards weren't winning ball and it was coming back at them but they stood up to the mark. Jean especially stood out and she got knock after knock and got up again, no way was she coming off that field, she wanted to finish that game out.

'To have Senior and Intermediate teams in an All-Ireland final is absolutely fantastic. We started out in January and it was our aim to do it and here we are,' Barnes said. 'They have worked very hard for the last eight months and the determination and heart in that team, I think it showed through there today. They were absolutely fantastic.'

Looking ahead to the final against Offaly, Barnes recognises that it's a different task than their previous two meetings this year.

'I said to Joachim Kelly when we came off the field in Banagher that day (championship opener), maybe we will see you in Croke Park, and here now my dreams have come true. Offaly won't lie down, it's their first team and our second, and okay we have lost a couple of players but I think those girls today showed that they are every bit as good.

'It will be Offaly's third time in a row in Croke Park. They have the experience a lot of our girls haven't ,but at the end of the day it's another 60 minutes for a big prize.'

- DEAN GOODISON