at midfield set the tempo. Joe Dooley's 2-3 made him top scorer, but overall this was an emphatic team performance; and Offaly were seen as having the edge ahead of the Centenary All Ireland against Cork. The unaccustomed "favorites" tag did not sit well with the team management. Mindful of Cork's great comeback in the Munster Final, Tony Murphy queried: "Just how good were Galway? If I knew that I'd be happier." On 2 September 1984, Cork comprehensively won the All Ireland Final by 3-16 to 1-12. Offaly's scorers were Mark Corrigan (1-2), Pat Carroll and Pat Delaney (0-4 each), and Padraig Horan (0-2). Denis Mulcahy kept Joe Dooley well shackled (although, of the 32 hurlers in action that day, Dooley alone would take part in the brace of classic Offaly v Cork All Ireland Semi-finals at the close of the Century.) Seanie O'Leary (2-1),John Fenton (0-7) and Tony O'Sullivan (0-6) were the chief scorers for Cork, and they did the main damage when Offaly faded out in the third quarter. Eugene Coughlan kept Jimmy Barry-Murphy scoreless (ensuring that he would be nominated for Seir Kieran's first All Star Award that Autumn). Nonetheless, it was a somber and downcast Offaly panel that departed Semple Stadium. Their County saw things differently. "WELCOME HOME TO OFFALY'S OWN HEROES", ran the Midland Tribune's banner headline over a picture of a thronged and appreciative Emmett Square that night. Re-capturing the McCarthy Cup, 1985 The disappointments of Offaly's previous three campaigns, coupled with the continued belief of their supporters, made for an uncommon determination to win back the McCarthy Cup in 1985. Even so, they nearly lost the opening round of the Leinster Championship on 23 June, which ended Offaly 3-18, Kilkenny 3-18. Pat Delaney at centre back did most to hold Offaly together in the first half, while Mark Corrigan's 1-2 made him Offaly's top scorer from play. Nonetheless, when Christy Heffernan palmed the ball past Offaly's new custodian Jim Troy (Lusmagh) to put Kilkenny up 3-11 to 1-8, the Leinster Crown seemed to be slipping away. Only then did the defending champions (including Seir Kieran's Eugene Coughlan, Joe Dooley and Mick Coughlan) pull out all the stops. From a free awarded outfield and to the left, Paddy Corrigan caught Kilkenny napping by going for goal and making it. With a quarter of an hour to go, Pat Delaney lifted another massive free, doubled