Wexford boss Colm Bonnar paid tribute to his players after the Model County retained their place in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 with a draw against Tipperary in Semple Stadium on Sunday.
Wexford looked certainties for relegation after losing to Offaly last month but a surprise win against Cork and a point against the Premier County ensured they stayed up.
Bonnar’s side came in for a lot of criticism after a crushing loss to Galway earlier in the campaign and he revealed pride at what his players achieved in the final two games.
He told RTÉ’s John Kenny: 'We’re delighted, we did what was required. It keeps us in Division 1 and that was our goal. We did it the hard way.
'We reminded them that at half-time against Cork we were five points down. There was still plenty of hurling to come.
'We feel we didn’t really open up and we left maybe three or four points behind while Tipp were clinical enough so we could have been a bit closer. That gave us hope for the second half. When they weren’t scoring goals, they were keeping us in the game.
'As the game went on, our lads wanted it more. They knew the prize was staying in Division 1. All credit to the players - they got a lot of criticism over the last three or four or five games. They stood up strong when the pressure was on us and with backs to the ball.
'After the Offaly result we were kind of written off but the players themselves turned it around. We’re delighted with the calibre of our lads, it is great. We’ll be so much better prepared for the Championship.'
Tipperary looked to be in control in the first half, with Wexford struggling to keep up on the scoreboard and only a lack of goals keeping them in the game. Bonnar felt his side were always in with a chance and feels their belief was key.
'As the game went on we knocked it back to three points a few times and two points and you could sense maybe some could happen.
'We kept our belief and played the system I felt we were comfortable with and the players got their just results at the end.
'That was the whole goal. It was in our hands to do something and we wanted it a bit more in the end. When push came to shove in the last six or seven minutes, our lads sensed they could get something from it.
'It would have been heartbreak if we had left here having lost by a point after putting in the performances we did in the last two games.'
Wexford can now look forward to the Championship with increased optimism, with manager Bonnar feeling his players have improved greatly over the League campaign.
'Regardless if we had been beaten by two or three points in this game, we put in a solid performance and it would have given us great confidence going into the Championship.
'As it stands we’ve have seen fiercely contested competitive games with our backs to the wall. We’ve learned so much over the league and the players have improved. That is what Division 1 does.'
