ALL-IRELAND SFC SEMI-FINAL TYRONE v WEXFORDHow many big names must Wexford beat before we will call them a serious football team? Gavin Cummiskeytalks to Adrian Morrissey

THERE ARE moments in a match that make or break a team's season. It can be one brief incident, a goal or a block that defines a team's very legacy.

Conor Gormley diving at the feet of Steven McDonnell in the 2003 All-Ireland final springs to mind. Likewise the arrival of Kieran Donaghy against Longford in 2006.

Wexford have had not just one such moment; they have enjoyed several.

The first came just after half-time against Meath last June. They trailed by 10 points, and the script was shaping up as expected. The old order would contest Leinster in 2008. Wexford had a new, green manager on board and looked a spent force. They had their chances before and failed to take them. They would fail again.

Then the world shifted on its axis and Meath came crashing down to earth. Turns out Wexford were ready. It was a tactical decision by their young manager Jason Ryan. Adrian Morrissey and Thomas Howlin came in and steadied the ship. Wexford wrested back possession of midfield. In fact, they monopolised the ball, scoring 2-6 to 0-1 in the last 20 minutes. Meath players became onlookers as their day unravelled.

It wasn't anything special, claims Morrissey, a schoolteacher and resident in the vast catchment area that belongs to Kilmacud Crokes. "After such an impressive showing in the league we felt we let ourselves down in that first half against Meath. I don't think there was much said at half-time, we just knew we had to justify all the good work we had done. We simply knuckled down and things started to go our way.

"It was even sweeter that it was a team like Meath so it proved we had the footballers to make an impact."

But was his own impact not a huge factor? "Yeah, I had a good game that day but if I had been involved in the first half people would have been saying otherwise."

Wexford were given due plaudits but few put store in the fact they were Division Three National League champions; post-match debate was more about the dismissal of Meath; the Royal County had let Wexford off the hook.

Next came Laois. Wexford humiliated them in Croke Park. But the reaction was again more about Laois's failings: all that underage talent and no real impact on the big stage; and now they lose heavily to Wexford.

Gradually, Wexford were getting reassessed but they were still just Wexford. Forwards like Ciarán Lyng and PJ Banville were winning some kudos, while Redmond Barry was reaching full potential. But to most people they were still a one-man show; Wexford were Matty Forde.

The defeat to Dublin reinforced the stereotype. A 23-point hammering, and a complete malfunctioning around the middle third. It looked like Wexford were out of their depth. They were that day. We suspected they weren't that bad, and we should have known Dublin weren't that good, but we stuck with the familiar pigeon-holing. How wrong the majority proved to be.

Morrissey, as a footballer based in Dublin, is well placed to pass judgment on that horrible day and the remarkable aftermath.

"The more I look back on it the fewer answers I have on what happened. The fact we had the Down game helped us to get back on track.

"The fact we had a two-week break was a big thing. The fellas went back to their clubs and got another game under their belt straight away. We met the following Sunday and collectively agreed we had too good a team to go out of the championship the way we did.

"We recovered and there was a serious intensity to training after that."

All very well, but that Leinster final would continue to haunt Wexford unless they could salvage something from the qualifiers. And Down would surely take care of that. Down had beaten Tyrone after two epic matches that had everyone again lauding the magnificence of Ulster football.

In fact Down's hopes proved a mirage. Perhaps defeat to Armagh in the provincial semi-final had punctured their bubble, but in a terrible game of football, littered with errors, Wexford more than deserved victory. They were back on the road and Down were dead.

Wexford pride was thus restored after the Dublin nightmare but Armagh would surely restore the status quo. The teams associated with the sharp end of the championship were beginning to find their stride. Wexford were the odd men out.

Armagh led 0-11 to 0-9 entering the final quarter. Forde was operating on one leg, visibly hampered by a hamstring problem. We just awaited the inevitable conclusion.

Then Francie Bellew lost Forde, who shimmied past Paul Hearty in goal before planting the ball in the net. Wexford were in front. Armagh didn't have time to respond. They were the inferior team by then anyway.

"We were a little tentative in the first half against Armagh," says Morrissey. "I don't know why that was. We didn't change anything, just upped our game. Matty was struggling with his hamstring going into and during the game but he just proved his class once more."

Tyrone crushed Dublin in the other quarter-final and again Wexford were written off. Tyrone, we were told, were back to 2005 form and would humiliate Wexford.

Form has become an irrelevancy this summer. Morrissey agrees: "The championship doesn't seem to have any form this year. If we were to go by the current form, Tyrone should be 35-point favourites to beat us. I think what it comes down to is getting it right on the day. Tyrone, tactically, were spot on against Dublin."

It is so easy to categorise a team. Tyrone, in the bookies, remain three-point favourites to win. Still a decent margin.

Wexford are a team of footballers, blessed with great natural ability. They are also survivors; the past few years have shown us that.

"It's been the same for the last couple of years," says Morrissey. "We were getting to Leinster semi-finals. There was something different about this year, though. Going into the Laois game we no longer just hoped we would win - we expected to win."

So, Jason Ryan has changed the mindset of the players? Not necessarily. They acknowledge they have a decent coach, who though young is razor sharp.

Morrissey has been part of the panel for four of the past five campaigns. This is his fourth intercounty manager. Each of them receives credit from him for bringing Wexford to the last four.

Now Wexford are 70 minutes from September football. This is a team nobody rated, a team repeatedly written of as All-Ireland contenders.

"The first thing about Jason is the amount of enthusiasm he brings," says Morrissey. "You can't but see it spread to the players. That was what I noticed after the first meeting.

"Then there is the serious amount of work he does with the management behind the scenes. He has brought a freshness to training, as every session is different. Lads enjoy going to training.

"I didn't know much about Jason when he came in. He spoke to everyone individually and laid out what he expected from the team. I felt fresher coming into the championship this year.

"This is down to more structure to our training programme. I felt there was another 20 per cent in us entering the championship."

Most observers still think they will lose tomorrow. But they believe. There are moments that define a team's season. Wexford have had three such defining moments this season.

Defeat tomorrow would not change the significance of those moments. But victory would surely help us bury a few more of our prejudices.