the reigning champions overcame Wexford by 2-16 to 3-12 in an enthralling and grueling opening round. Offaly showed their composure when Wexford went a goal ahead in the closing stages. Pádraig Horan's brace of pointed frees and Paddy Kirwan's point from play leveled it, then Kirwan sent over the winner from a brilliant sideline cut deep in the shadow of the Cusack Stand. The Semi-final against Laois was another pulsating game, ending all-square at 3-14 apiece. Pat Delaney was misplaced at corner back and Pat Carroll at midfield, and Offaly shot 21 wides. There was no such experimentation in the replay. Eugene Coughlan suppressed Laois full forward PJ Cuddy and also set up many attacks, as Dermot Healy's men won by 2-17 to 0-14. A fortnight later, on 25 July 1982, it was a very confident Offaly team that returned to Croke Park seeking the three-in-a-row of Leinster Titles. This intriguing Offaly-Kilkenny duel settled into a tight and dour affair. Nonetheless Eugene Coughlan, who allowed not an inch to the quick-turning and tricky Liam Fennelly, seemed to epitomize Offaly's cool control of this match. Eight minutes from full-time, however, when goalie Damien Martin was tracking a Kilkenny ball that seemed to have gone over the end line, the umpire stayed where he was. The referee didn't whistle for a puck-out either. Liam Fennelly deftly flicked the ball to between the posts, where Matt Ruth was arriving to tap to the empty net for the only goal of the game. Con Houlihan subsequently wrote of the umpire: "I doubt the good man enjoyed a hearty dinner last evening". Nonetheless, even from his usual vantage-point on the terraces at the Canal End, Houlihan himself could not definitively say whether the ball had crossed the line. Offaly were still on level terms after conceding the goal, but sent wide from two subsequent frees. Kilkenny scored two late points to re-claim the Bob O'Keeffe Cup by 1-11 to 0-12. It was a bitter derailment for an Offaly side which was then at the peak of its powers. In March 1983 Aidan "the Boo" Rosney of Birr, collapsed and died while training with his Offaly teammates in Tullamore. He was 19 years old, and one of Offaly hurling's most exciting and stylish prospects. It was a saddened yet determined squad which advanced to the 1983 Leinster Final against the Cats, by virtue of a 1-20