▁in ▁the ▁Qu arter - final ▁stead ied ▁the ▁Cla reen ▁ship , ▁they ▁still ▁had ▁come ▁up ▁with ▁no ▁answers ▁for ▁Bir r ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁Sem i - final . ▁The ▁def ending ▁champions ▁were ▁elimin ated ▁on ▁the ▁score - line ▁Bir r ▁ 3 - 2 2 , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁ 1 - 7 . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁six ▁years ▁that ▁the ▁black ▁and ▁am ber ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁contest ▁the ▁Off aly ▁Senior ▁Hur ling ▁Final . ▁On ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁they ▁reached ▁the ▁Off aly ▁Junior ▁' A ' ▁Hur ling ▁Final ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁– ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁had ▁done ▁so ▁in ▁ 3 0 ▁years . ▁They ▁narrow ly ▁lost ▁the ▁Final ▁to ▁Kil c orm ac / ▁Kill oug he y ▁( 1 - 1 2 ▁to ▁ 2 - 6 ). ▁Meanwhile , ▁John ▁C ough lan ▁the ▁club ' s ▁President ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Mary ▁received ▁a ▁Se an ▁G ael ▁award ▁at ▁a ▁function ▁in ▁T ull am ore . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁inter - count y ▁champion ships ▁got ▁going , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁again ▁had ▁four ▁represent atives ▁on ▁Michael ▁Bond ' s ▁panel . ▁In ▁addition , ▁Dam ien ▁Mur phy , ▁James ▁Co ak ley ▁and ▁Joe ▁Gu in an ▁were ▁called ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁Off aly ▁Inter mediate