LEINSTER HURLING FINAL/Kilkenny 0-19 Wexford 0-17: When the echoes of surround sound finally faded in Croke Park yesterday Kilkenny were once again Leinster hurling champions. But only just. Their fifth title in succession, and 60th in all, wasn't sealed until the final whistle when Wexford were left trailing by two points, 0-19 to 0-17.

It was a contest, though, that breathed some life back into the Leinster final, still choking after last year's 13-point margin between the same teams. An open and free-flowing game that produced no goals but plenty of wondrous scoring, it was hurling in top gear and without limits.

There were 37,567 seated, but not one of them could afford to sit back. The sides were level three times in the first half and Kilkenny were never more than four points clear in the second. Tension hung in the air until the end.

Still, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody is not known as a man for wild celebrations. Yesterday he was contained throughout, but there's a chance that when the team bus pulled out of Croke Park he might have joined the team in a verse or two.

"That was a terrific game to win," he said. "And I'm very, very happy to win it. We were tested to the full but we did show great character, all the lads. And they all showed great leadership at various stages of the game.

"But today Wexford kept that pressure on us the whole way through. They are an outstanding team and they showed that throughout the game. Okay we've no great goals to talk about, but there were some magnificent points being scored. And I would say it was a pretty good advertisement for Leinster hurling."

The main man doing the Kilkenny scoring was Henry Shefflin, who ended up with eight points, each one as crucial as the next. When Wexford came creeping back in the closing moments it was Shefflin's free-taking that helped settle the Kilkenny nerves.

After a similar role in the semi-final win over Offaly there was pressure on Shefflin to deliver. His consistency was never questioned and, with Brian McEvoy proving equally capable company, it was Kilkenny who kept their noses in front throughout the second half.

"We could never pull away from them," admitted Shefflin. "But we knew all along that Wexford were going to be like that. They've been like that all down through the years.

"Wexford also had great support out there, and when you hear this 'Wexford, Wexford' starting you know you're in trouble. I still feel last year they should have beaten Tipperary the first day in the semi-final. We got a few breaks off them last year."

For a player on top of his game, there was no other place Shefflin would rather have been either than Croke Park: "We've looked at all these stadiums in Japan, magnificent stadiums. But I tell you it was something to be out there today. Just walking around in the parade. I can't wait to be here someday with a full stadium because that will be really marvellous."

Wexford must now take on Clare in next Sunday's qualifier if they want to get back to Croke Park - though originally the game was set for Saturday week. For manager Tony Dempsey that added further disappointment to an already hard enough day.

"It would have been difficult enough to take another game in two weeks," said Dempsey. "Because it's a re-fixture it's only worse. I intend having our county chairman now ask why it was changed. That's where my anger comes from. I'm desperately unhappy."

However, Dempsey wasn't making any excuses about the result. Experience he felt probably won out over his more youthful and maturing players. "Sure I can take my beating," he added, "and the better team won on the day."

If there was a turning point, though, it would be at the start of the second half, when Wexford were enjoying one of their better periods of the game, but missed around six honest scoring chances.

"Absolutely, that was a problem. But I think Kilkenny are that bit more experienced. And they do have some very, very good forwards. And I have to concede that they were better on the day. But if I weren't a manager out there I would really have enjoyed that game. It was a tremendous show from both teams, a great sporting game. Hard knocks given and hard knocks taken."

On the football front, yesterday's glory belonged to Armagh who won back their Ulster title in Clones over a brave but ultimately outsized Donegal. Again the result hung in the balance until the final moments before Armagh seized the day by four points, 1-14 to 1-10. Donegal midfielder Jim McGuinness gave Donegal a lifeline when he soloed in for a goal in the closing minutes, but Armagh recovered sufficiently enough to keep their advantage in place until the end.