On yesterday's evidence at Croke Park the balance of power in Leinster football is changing. A Kildare-Dublin semi-final would have been a banker even a year ago but now both sides must set off on the treacherous qualifiers path.

Under manager Pat Roe Wexford football has stepped out of the shadows and they now command respect.

They managed to bring their competent displays in Division One of the National League to the big stage. Games against teams like Armagh and Laois showed them the standards required to be competitive in the summer.

Granted, yesterday was a poor affair that produced more errors than quality football but Wexford have learned how to grind out victories despite the obstacles thrown in their way, the loss of Nicky Lambert in midfield being one such setback.

"It was a great win. It was down to grit and hard work and self-belief. I think when Nicky Lambert got injured, he'd been doing quite well in the middle of the field, We really dug in today," said Roe. "More often than not we did do things right and that was the key to it. We took the scores when they did come our way."

"I thought our six backs were really fantastic. Colm Morris, in particular, was fantastic. The sending-off spoilt his day."

The straight red card that corner back Morris received, for an off-the-ball incident involving Terry Rossiter in the 69th minute, was their only dampener. The result gives them a great opportunity of making a Leinster final, considering the day's other surprise packages, Westmeath, stand in their way.

"We're where we want to be, which is in the semi-final - one game away from a Leinster final and we've a chance," said Roe.

"We'd be confident of getting a victory against Westmeath, we would have to be. Sure, if we don't go on from here and get to the Leinster final it would take the shine off it. But today was a good day and we'll take it."

Wexford forward Redmond Barry was quick to remind everyone who wrote Wexford off beforehand that this was no fluke result, while also looking ahead to the clash with Westmeath - a repeat of the 2001 qualifier that required a replay before the midlanders prevailed.

"There has been a good team there for three or four years and Pat Roe has been able to put that together. I think Westmeath will have the upper hand and be slight favourites but it will be a 50-50 game, though."

Kildare manager Pádraig Nolan said: "We know Wexford had been coming for the last three or four years. We had seen the tapes of them recently. I never underestimated anybody.

"We were disappointed with our performance in the first half but we felt we could pick it up. We did pick it up but when we dominated we couldn't score, kicking too many wides.

"We just didn't perform and that was it. The players are bitterly disappointed. They trained pretty hard all year. I don't have any excuses. That's championship football - if you don't perform that's what happens."

The household names in Kildare football mean little this morning as Nolan tries to prepare his team for the make-or-break showdown against Offaly next week.

"Today's Wexford's day but we'll regroup again. We have a lot of young players there, very good young footballers and they are going to be great players in the future. No doubt about that."