AMONG the many outstanding features of Wexford's renaissance this year, the form of Adrian Fenlon at midfield has been a huge influence. Not alone has the speed and accuracy of his striking been essential to the team's tendency to move the ball quickly up the field but he has also been the creator of one goal in every match of Wexford's progress to an All Ireland final.

That's four out of a total of seven.

He provided the measured, long ball for each of Billy Byrne's crucial goals against, Kilkenny and Galway, and the sideline cuts that won Gary Laffan a penalty in Dublin - converted by Damien Fitzhenry - and set up Tom Dempsey's goal in the Leinster final.

An obvious talent from an early stage with the Rapparees club in Enniscorthy, Fenlon first made his mark in the 1993 championship when Wexford came within seconds of winning the Leinster title. At first, it didn't appear that he was going to build on the promise as Wexford disappointed during the last two seasons. A year ago, team manager Liam Griffin decided it was time for a wake up call.

"Adrian has had a fantastic year," says Griffin. "He does, exactly what he wants but has dedicated himself to the job. At the beginning of the year, we sat down and I outlined what the future could hold for him and what I thought it would hold if he didn't give it a good go.

"I said there was no point in going on if he wasn't going to get the best out of himself. That he'd be better off just playing with the club if he wasn't prepared to go with it and wanted to become a nearly man like the country's full of."

Griffin's emphasis on teamwork and fast hurling has suited Fenlon, who is confident with the ball and has a high workrate.

"It's been best for him and best for us," says Griffin. "He's a very intelligent player and would have been delighted with the style we play. Also I feel we're a team now and he believes in that.

"He doesn't overhit the ball anymore. It's a skill in itself keeping the ball in and not just opening your shoulders and feeling good about yourself. There's a material difference between a measured, ball and overhitting.

Griffin's contentment with Fenlon's performances is enhanced by the feeling that the player has had to overcome the problems posed by celebrity at a 0 age.

"I think he suffered from all the things a young chap finds in a small, rural town. Unwittingly, he may have got carried away. You can settle for being big in relative terms. Just because the locals think you're doing well doesn't mean that you can't achieve more.

"He's much less impressed with it all this year and he's in an All Ireland final. He deserves the stage."

Fenlon's performances in this year's championship have been, models of team play. His application has enabled the team to control matches for most of the time. He has slotted in with Griffin's various tactical moves which nearly all involve a crowding, of the middle, or at least a thinning of the attack.

At times, when Martin Storey is dropped back into midfield, Fenlon has moved up to the 40 where, closer to goal, the quality of his striking has helped him to a few points as well as a goal chance - the score was narrowly averted - against Kilkenny in the Leinster championship.

What has most impressed his manager? "His ability to do simple things. His maturity, because there's a tendency in all - and I'd include myself when I was playing to want to try the spectacular all the time, regardless. So I admire those who don't seem to need to do it. They're a special breed.

"What's wrong with moving a ball 15 yards if that's the thing to do, I asked the players. `Nothing', said one of the players, `but it's just that there's never been any brownie points for doing it. In the past, we felt you had to do something with the ball'.

"That used to be the way in Wexford. Everyone playing their own game rather than playing to an agenda with 15. Adrian's great attribute is that he doesn't care about being noticed, he's happy to create.

Among the opponents with whom Fenlon has locked horns is the doyen of hurling midfielders, Michael Coleman. In both the League and All Ireland semifinals against Galway, the Wexfordman hurled well, particularly in the League last April when his team was generally well beaten. "I was disappointed with, the reviews of the League semi final," says Griffin. "He hurled Michael Coleman off the pitch - and did the same again in the All Ireland semi final - but no one made anything of it and that disappointed me because as looking for crombs of comfort from that match."

Coleman himself remembers the matches and was impressed by Fenlon's displays.

He's a good all round hurler, as good as any at the moment and a hard job for anyone to mark. I think he'll go really well on Sunday. He has speed and physical strength; although he looks small, he's fairly well built. I noticed the way he was helping out the and his first time hurling as top class. He never held on to it, it was just what the backs needed and it gave the forwards great "ball. If there was a difference, I'd say he was sharper in the All Ireland (semi final)."

Coleman's comments on, Fenlon's physical strength are particularly relevant, as his task on Sunday is dauntingly different. He has yet to play on a mid field pairing as physically dominant as Limerick's Mike Houlihan and Sean O'Neill. Griffin is confident in his ability to meet the demands of the occasion.

"I've noticed a few that tried to rough him up, but he's well able for it. He doesn't throw himself around because he doesn't need to. He's happier just hurling."