Shelmaliers won their second ever Wexford Senior Hurling Championship title - 3-18 to 3-11 - with victory over Naomh Eanna on Sunday.
"It's just unbelievable," Man of the Match Ross Banville, who scored 1-8, told TG4 after the game.
"Some of us thought we'd never have a championship this year.
"We've been waiting six years - 2014 was our last title. The core group of this team played in that but there's a few new lads as well.
"We were coming over the bridge, hundreds of people queued up on the bridge with flags. Thanks to everyone for the support. It was great seeing it on the way in. It's a pity they couldn't be here but hopefully we might see some of them later for some socially distanced celebrations."
Watch the Full-Time Highlights of Shelmaliers v Naomh Éanna in the Wexford Senior Hurling Final here on GAANOW!
Full-Time Score:
Shelmaliers: 3-18
Naomh Éanna: 3-11 pic.twitter.com/ttlEpZwBK7— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 23, 2020
The real celebrations will have to wait, not just due to Covid-19. Shelmaliers, Wexford football champions in 2018, play Castletown-Liam Mellows in the SFC on Saturday.
Before he handed over the Bowe Cup to Simon Donohoe, county board chairman Derek Kent made a point of highlighting Wexford's commitment to hurling and football.
"We put a roadmap together many months ago and decided we would go with a block of hurling," said Kent.
"It's the way forward for Loch Garman, I believe.
"Also, to those outside of Wexford that don't understand what a dual county is, a dual county is when the two teams here today tog out next week to play football. That's what we do as an organisation in Wexford - we promote both codes equally."
Shelmaliers had led by five points at the break. Playing with a strong wind, they would have expected their advantage to be greater.
"We hit a lot of wides," said Banville.
"We felt that it took a while for us to settle but we worked hard through the whole game. Naomh Eanna are a great team, they were champions in 2018 - they'll be back again.
"We had savage work rate in the second half. That's what our whole game plan is based on. Everyday we go out and come crawling off the pitch."
Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
