FORGET THE result at Tinryland on Sunday; neither county would be chuffed with an O'Byrne Shield medal - indeed, not even a Cup victory - but the elation of the home triumph was of more morale importance in view of their upcoming NFL date with Wicklow in Aughrim on Sunday next. The final was more of a probe into the value of the second string rather than scooping worthless silver, and for 35 minutes the Barrowsiders looked more suited to a Junior competition than Leinster Senior challengers.

They were reduced to scampering after a more diligent Wexford who ran rings around a dreadful defence which conceded 2-7 (to 0-5) come the interval, with the visitors' midfield imperious and gaining six kick-out marks to nil in that period.

With Brendan Doyle putting his seal of ownership in midfield, forwards Ciarán Deely, Adrian Flynn and especially the elusive Ben Brosnan delighted in the supply, with the latter tormenting the defence.

Carlow limped through the half rather impoverished and leaderless, with only Paul Cashin injecting any life behind, big John Murphy the only midfield foil, and Seán Gannon working his socks off at 11 with considerable support from Johnny Kavanagh.

Wry Wexford smiles, however, turned to a litany of doubts in the second-half when Carlow, playing up the slope, restricted their previously lively neighbours to just one point in the last 40 minutes, that from their best player, Brosnan, midway through the half.

The resurgence was as convincing as it was surprising; selector-shuffling contributory. Fielding only Gannon and Eric McCormack of the team held level by Waterford in their third league outing, they introduced Tony Bolger, Alan Curran, Willie Minchin and Simon Rea at the break and later Kieran Nolan.

And they could even finish the game with 13 players, McCormack having been red-carded twelve minutes into the second half and Rea rib-injured towards the end of the contest with all substitutes used.

From a team which only scored three times in the opening 34 minutes - from Cashin, Gannon and McCormack in the fourth, seventh and 20th minutes - they found higher-octane fuel and owned the remainder of the game, with all substitutes very contributory, particularly Rea, Minchin and Nolan.

Wexford opened the scoring from Brosnan in 48 seconds; led again after five minutes and held level after seven. From there they stepped on the accelerator and blew Carlow off the pitch with 2-5 to a lone McCormack reply - their goals coming in the 25th and 30th minutes from Brosnan who zoomed onto a Conor Carty delivery and Flynn who finished off a smart movement involving Dylan Kehoe and Carty.

Surprise, surprise, they only scored once more in the final 40 minutes as the Carlow defence dug in, and with Kieran Nolan adding defensive oomph and the Murphy/Minchin pairing erasing the previously lordly Brendan Doyle in the middle, it was left to Rea, Kavanagh and Gannon to dismantle the Wexford defence with a steady stream of scores - the goal from Kavanagh who got onto a Cashin delivery, shot against the 'keeper but kept composure to flick the loose ball to the net in the 55th minute to close to two points.

Rea, John Murphy and Kavanagh brought Carlow level on the hour, with Minchin, Rea (2) and finally Kavanagh dispatching the visitors who came to Tinryland with nine of what they considered a full-strength selection.

Considering Carlow did not play their Under-21s (Brendan Murphy, Daniel St. Ledger and Shane Redmond) due to next Saturday's Leinster joust in Tullamore against Offaly, and with skipper Brian Murphy due to undergo a cruciate operation yesterday (Tuesday) this was a very commendable performance, if to say they will have to start in overdrive and not permit opponents to settle into a destructive pattern.

Carlow were awarded 16 of the 34 frees and registered just four (1, 4) of the dozen wides.

Wexford will have to pick themselves up immediately as they focus on taking down the expected tough challenge to be provided by Sligo in round three of the Allianz League in Wexford Park on Sunday next (1 p.m.).

Given the way results have unfolded and the tightness of the sector, they simply must win, especially with a tricky away tie in Cavan to follow on Saturday week.

- PAUL DONAGHY In Tinryland