How the mighty have fallen. Proud Ulster champions Armagh saw their vision of All-Ireland glory left in smithereens by a firmly-focused, markedly hungry, Wexford side in front of 36,000 fans at Croke Park.

And the Orchard county can have few complaints about this result. Limitations that have been amassed to some extent up until now were cruelly exposed by a Wexford team mauled by Dublin in the Leinster final and still in a rehabilitation phase.

Yet they managed to outwit Armagh in vital sectors, notably in terms of finishing and in retaining possession under pressure.

Armagh manager Peter McDonnell's tactical take appeared to be working in the first half but when his side shot a litany of wides, the omens did not look good.

Wexford, on much less possession, still managed to carry a significant threat and by half-time they were just one point in arrears at 0-6 to 0-5, Ronan Clarke having potted three spectacular points for Armagh with Steven McDonnell, Charlie Vernon and Aaron Kernan also on target.

Ciaran Lyng and Mattie Forde began to pierce huge holes in Armagh's morale although the Ulster champions fired a three-point blast within a three-minute spell to move 0-10 to 0-8 in front. But with Eric Bradley and Brendan Doyle beginning to wield a greater influence at midfield and Philip Wallace and Colm Morris shoring up gaps at the back, Wexford began to exude much greater cohesion. Even so, Armagh led by 0-11 to 0-9 entering the last 10 minutes but that was as good as it got for Peter McDonnell's men.

From then on, Wexford took a firm grip on the game that they were never to relax.

And their dominance was forcibly highlighted in the 61st minute when the ever-dangerous Forde, who had been relatively well shackled up until then, seized a high dropping ball and steered in the only goal of the game.

This proved the catalyst for Wexford to adopt an even more adventurous approach and it was certainly a ploy that paid off handsomely.

Ciaran Lyng, who has been on the books of Preston North End, fired over the 63rd minute free before his side finished with a spectacular flourish, Redmond Barry's point preceding two further scores from Forde who ended up with a personal haul of 1-5.

It was desperately disappointing outcome for an Armagh side who had gone into the match as favourites and who had been confidently expected to show a much greater improvement on the form they had displayed when winning the Ulster Championship.

But instead, they failed to deliver and found the Wexford attack rather too hot to handle in the end.

The winners' full-forward line of Lyng, Forde and the roaming PJ Banville scored 1-11 in all, underlining their potency and marksmanship.

Armagh, in contrast, were left to rue the catalogue of missed chances that besmirched the opening quarter. Had even some of those chances been taken, it is conceivable that they may well have gone from strength to strength.

But as it was, they conceded too much ground and possession to Wexford, who palpably grew in confidence and indeed might well have won by an even more handsome margin.

WEXFORD SCORERS: M Forde (1-5, 0-2 frees), C Lyng (0-5, 0-4 frees), R Barry (0-2), PJ Banville, C Byrne (0-1 each).

ARMAGH SCORERS: S McDonnell, R Clarke (0-3 each), A Kernan (0-4, 0-3 frees), C Vernon, B Mallon (0-1 each).

WEXFORD: A Masterson; D Walsh, P Wallace, B Malone; A Morrissey, D Murphy, C Morris; E Bradley, B Doyle; R Barry, P Colfer, C Byrne; C Lyng, PJ Banville, M Forde. Subs: M Deeley for Morrissey 60mins, D Murphy for Walsh 60, R Stafford for Byrne 64, T Wall for Colfer 67, A Flynn for Doyle 70.

ARMAGH: P Hearty; E McNulty, F Bellew, F Moriarty; A Kernan, A O'Rourke, C McKeever; P McGrane, K Toner; C Vernon, B Mallon, M O'Rourke; S McDonnell, R Clarke, S Kernan. Subs: P McKeever for S Kernan 46mins, B Donaghy for Vernon 61, P Kernan for Moriarty 66, D McKenna for Toner 69.

Referee: Paddy Russell (Tipperary)