CHANGED TIMES. Wexford have surrendered their scalp so many times this spring that the confidence of last summer must be beginning to seep away. They came to Thurles yesterday anti left another two points behind as a growing Tipperary team found themselves with more muscle and imagination in the last 20 minutes of a frank encounter.

The manner of Tipperary's final quarter performance will be what provided most pleasure for the natives in the 8,362 attendance. In recent times they have been looking like matadors who lack the heart to apply the final picador's jab, a dangerous failing which needed remedying before summer.

Wexford started like a team in trouble but having secured an early point from Paul Codd, they settled back and let Tipperary throw what they could at them.

Young Aidan Flanagan did most of the damage in the subsequent quarter of an hour or so, popping over four points, three of them from frees. His point from play might have yielded something more significant he drove a close range shot against goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry and saw the ball squirt upwards over the bar.

Flanagan, captain yesterday by virtue of his membership of county champions Boherlahan Dualla, made a persuasive case for a long term retention of the post, scoring 1-8 in total. Along with Declan Ryan he proved to be Tipperary's most influential forward.

Tipperary's transition has been slowish, but is coming along nicely. Yesterday's forward line was backboned by old hands Ryan and Michael Cleary, but the splashes of colour and hints of potential came from the four younger players around them.

Their speed and good touch left Wexford floundering for a while yesterday. Trailing by three points and being beaten in the key sectors of the field the All Ireland champions made a little shuffle after 15 minutes which produced results unexpectedly quickly.

Looking to cure two ailments, they switched Gary Laffan with Martin Storey. In one stroke, they gave themselves some beef in the middle third of the pitch and some poke in the inside line.

Reward was instant. A fine 50 yard sideline cut flew in from the left wing off Adrian Fenlon's stick and dropped down on the Tipperary defence who reacted as it the sliotar was humming, like a doodlebug. Martin Storey kicked to the net, levelling the score.

Flanagan replied with a free but Laffan kept the pressure up, latching on to a loose ball and tuning over a point from 40 yards out.

Tipperary's young forwards had been showing signs of inventiveness throughout the half however. This found full expression when Flanagan slipped a close in free wide to Liam Cahill whose thumping shot was almost saved by Damian Fitzhenry as it flew past him after 26 minutes. Tipperary's three point advantage was restored.

In adversity again, Wexford scraped out the space to muster a few vital scores. Cleary popped another point over for Tipperary but Tom Dempsey (two) and Eamonn Scallan narrowed the gap to a point by the break.

The second half began with a worsening of the weather and a tightening of the screw by Tipperary. They chalked up five wides, though, the irony being that their only point came from Kevin Tucker who had helped himself to four wides before the break.

Wexford kept stroking away, however, even as the tide of the game seemed to be against them. Tom Dempsey's contribution during this period was notable, as was that of Martin Storey. With 15 minutes left the sides were level, Storey, Scallan and Dempsey having had points. Wexford failed to score again, however.

In the middle of the pitch, the contribution of Declan Ryan from centre forward and Colm Bonner from centre back were critical. Most of what came lose fell to one of them. Finally Wexford wilted.

Flanagan restored Tipperary's lead with yet another point and then, as the game went into the last 10 minutes, Tomas Dunne hit a splendid point from distance. The game had a way to go yet, but the score seemed to kill off Wexford.

Cleary and Flanagan both had points, but the grace note came from Flanagan who latched on to a handpass from Andy Moloney to crash home a terrific goal.