Ciaran Lyng emerged as the match-winner, netting a second-half penalty on his way to a 1-6 tally.

Padraic Joyce kicked six Galway points, but it was the hunger and battling qualities of Jason Ryan’s side that decided the outcome.

Four points from the ageless Joyce saw the Tribesmen race into an early lead, as Gary O’Donnell, Niall Coleman and Joe Begin quickly got to the pace of the game in difficult conditions.

But the Connacht men failed to build on that early momentum, and as Wexford gradually got themselves tuned in, they began to dominate possession.

Ciaran Lyng and Mattie Forde pulled back points, and the early dominance of Niall Coleman and Joe Bergin waned as Eric Bradley became a more influential figure around the middle of the field.

With Brian Malone and Adrian Flynn always willing to press from the back, they stepped up the threat, and almost had a goal in the 20th minute when Shane Roche sent Redmond Barry in, but Adrian Faherty kept the shot out with his left foot.

The Leinster men coped better with the greasy conditions, and drew level in the 23rd minute, with Lyng converting a free before Colm Morris finished off a sweeping move.

Galway went 15 minutes without scoring, before Matthew Clancy and substitute Cormac Bane rediscovered the range, but at the break, they were clinging on to a flimsy one point lead, after Lyng clipped over his third from a tight angle.

Sean Armstrong set up a point for Bane and added superb effort himself, but Wexford stayed very much in touch through Lyng and Eric Bradley, who turned over possession and galloped through the middle for a point.

Bane added another couple of scores to repay the faith shown in him midway through the opening half by manager Joe Kernan, but Wexford took the lead in the 53rd minute when Darran Mullahy was penalised for a foul on Bradley, and Lyng tucked away the penalty.

But Galway’s response was positive. Bane, Joyce and Gary O’Donnell belted over points to restore their two points cushion.

However, Wexford stepped it up again, hitting the final three points of the game, including Lyng’s glorious winner.

Galway: A Faherty, D Reilly, F Hanley, A Burke, G Bradshaw, K Fitzgerald, G O'Donnell (0-1), N Coleman, J Bergin, G Sice, F Breathnach, M Clancy (0-1), O Concannon, P Joyce (0-6, 2f), S Armstrong (0-1).

Subs: C Bane (0-4) for Concannon, Darren Mullahy for Reilly, P Conroy for Clancy

Wexford: A Masterson, J Wadding, G Molloy, B Malone, A Flynn (0-1), D Murphy, A Doyle, E Bradley (0-1), D Waters, C Morris (0-1), R Barry (0-1, ’45), S Roche, C Lyng (1-6, 1-0 pen, 2f), M Forde (0-1, f), PJ Banville.

Subs: B Brosnan for Roche, B Doyle for Waters, P Naughter for Morris

Referee: J White (Donegal).