Two counties with encouraging senior campaigns behind them meet in the season's finale. Their All-Ireland quarter-final at the end of July turned out to be exhilarating and there is considerable interest in tomorrow's under-21 climax in Thurles (2.30).

On the face of it, Limerick as defending champions and with an impressive campaign behind them, are firm favourites. Their hard won victories by the tightest margin against Cork, after chasing down an eight-point deficit, and Tipperary paved the way for the more comfortable semi-final victory against Galway, achieved by taking an iron grip in the first half.

Wexford's progress has been important to the county this year. A sense of how carefully its fortunes were being nurtured can be seen in the deliberate policy to pass over the under-21s before the Leinster final against Kilkenny. It was felt that a heavy defeat would be calamitous for the youngsters in the long run and in the short-term, potentially fatal to their chances of winning the following week's provincial final.

That win over Kilkenny demonstrated a great deal of character and led to the call-up of four of them (Darren Stamp was already on the seniors) for the quarter-final against Limerick. It's possible to argue they didn't all excel at the higher level but they all progressed - one of them, Doc O'Connor to the stage he'll certainly make the All Star nominations' list and will be deprived the award only by the need to accommodate two full backs in the team.

Wexford have shown great character. If the stress-free victory over Antrim in the semi-final didn't provide much evidence, the provincial win did. As well as holding off Kilkenny against the wind in the second half of the Leinster final, they took Offaly at the wire in the previous match.

Limerick look to have the advantage up front. Their forwards have scored fluently and created enough space for the defence to do its stuff. The much-debated absence of Seβn O'Connor on suspension is a loss to the team. But the team coped in his absence against Galway and can do so again.

Mark Keane has had another excellent year at the grade. His contributions at senior have been bafflingly flat but in his best position at corner forward, he is a major influence on the attack. The last day he played with two broken fingers and his ankle just out of plaster and still proved rock-solid on the frees, scoring 1-4.

Wexford name O'Connor at full back but it would be no surprise to see him picking up Keane.

There has been some disquiet at the defence's tendency to leak goals but the return of last year's full back, Eugene Mulcahy, to the side after suspension gives the line a more formidable look. The half backs, where Maurice O'Brien has done very well, have played a big role in implementing the fast, direct play that benefits the attack. Senior centre back Brian Geary plays with a suspect hamstring. If that plays up, Limerick will be in trouble.

Wexford have been hard to shift in this central area but they too have a major injury problem. Captain Nicky Lambert showed his credentials in the senior replay against Tipperary when liberated from the discomfort of full forward. But his participation tomorrow is up in the air because of a broken thumb.

This promises to be an absorbing match. Limerick are champions with half of last year's team and have the better individual players but Wexford have toiled all year with great team spirit. They are a big, physical team in the tradition of the county but have enough hurlers to make this a close match.

The feeling here is that Limerick have enough quality around the field and a fair degree of resilience themselves. They get the nod for a narrow decision.

Kerry's Mick Hassett is likely to appear in his first Wicklow senior football championship final on Sunday with his new club An Tochar when they take on champions Rathnew at Aughrim. Hasset has recovered from a knee injury he picked up a couple of weeks ago when playing wing-back for Kerry in their All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Meath. An Tochar last won the title in 1995.

LIMERICK (Under-21H v Wexford) T Houlihan; D Reale, B Carroll, E Mulcahy; M O'Riordan, B Geary, M O'Brien; S Lucey, P Lawlor; E Foley, K Tobin, P Tobin; C Fitzgerald, N Moran, M Keane.

WEXFORD: (Under-21H) M White; N Maguire, D O'Connor, R Kirwan; R Mallon, B McGee, T Kelly; A N Other, D Stamp; R Barry, G Coleman, R Jacob; B Lambert, M Jacob, D Lyng.