Henry Shefflin watched his side blitz Wexford early before having to settle for a point as super sub Lee Chin reeled in Galway in a thrilling finale to this Leinster SHC curtain-raiser.
Galway dominated the first half at Chadwicks Wexford Park in front of a 10,200 attendance.
But ultimately the visitors paid a costly price for their profligacy as Conor McDonald's 63rd minute goal put Wexford within striking distance and Chin, a 48th minute replacement, fired over the equalising point with the last act of the game - his fourth in the five minutes of injury time played and fifth overall.
Shefflin was angered by the award of that final free, given against Gearóid McInerney on Damien Reck, but Darragh Egan and the home fans greeted Chin's converted effort with joy.
Galway will wonder how they could go from a position of such control to hanging on in the closing minutes but 10 wides inside the first 25 minutes handed the Model men a lifeline and Egan's charges were a different side in the second half.
Brian Concannon put Shefflin's charges on their way with an early goal but despite their dominance, Galway contrived to hit the double-digit mark in terms of wides in a frenetic opening 23 minutes.
Free-taker Conor Cooney was the worst culprit at that stage with four wides - including three in the opening f0ur minutes - which took some of the sheen off his outstanding work in open play, although he still finished with seven points.
McDonald took the fight to the visitors in tandem with Rory O'Connor and Galway's profligacy could have seen their lead reduced to four points just before the break when the Naomh Éanna man won a penalty off Gearóid McInerney.
But Wexford goalkeeper Mark Fanning drilled the penalty over the crossbar and the hosts trailed 1-11 to 0-8 at the break.
The home side threw the kitchen sink at it from the start of the second half and reduced the deficit to four with half an hour left.
But O'Connor missed a couple of long range frees at that point and Galway looked fairly comfortable until, with seven minutes of normal time to go, McDonald put Wexford back into the contest with a goal earned by the full-forward's sheer persistence.
The full-forward fielded the high ball, then went to kick at goal but instead flicked a precision shot into the far corner.
Tom Monaghan scored a point in response for Galway but it was to be their last as the pressure came on and Chin was unerring in doling out the punishment for the visitors' indiscipline.
Wexford: Mark Fanning (0-1, 1 pen); Simon Donohue (0-1), Liam Ryan, Matthew O'Hanlon; Paudie Foley, Damien Reck, Connal Flood 0-1; Kevin Foley, Diarmuid O'Keefe; Liam Óg McGovern, Oisín Foley (0-2), Charlie McGuckin; Rory O'Connor (0-6, 5fs), Conor McDonald (1-2), Mikie Dywer.
Subs: Cathal Dunbar (0-1) Dwyer (45), Lee Chin (0-5, 1 '65) for O Foley (48), Jack O'Connor for McGuckin (52), Oisín Pepper for K Foley (67).
Galway: Éanna Murphy; Jack Grealish, Daithí Burke (C), Darren Morrissey (0-1); Padraic Mannion, Gearóid McInerney, Fintan Burke; Joseph Cooney (0-2), Tom Monaghan (0-3); Evan Niland, Conor Cooney (0-7, 4fs, 2 '65s), Cianan Fahy; Conor Whelan (0-3), Brian Concannon (1-1), Cathal Mannion (0-1).
Subs: Gavin Lee for Niland (54), David Burke for Whelan (60), Kevin Cooney for Fahy (67), J Hastings for Concannon (73).
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