ar ▁pitch ▁made ▁sli pp ery ▁by ▁non - stop ▁rain , ▁Off aly ▁were ▁miles ▁off ▁the ▁pace ▁as ▁Dublin ▁elimin ated ▁them ▁by ▁ 3 - 1 0 ▁to ▁ 2 - 8 . ▁Some ▁measure ▁of ▁reven ge ▁was ▁exact ed ▁by ▁the ▁winning ▁of ▁Off aly ' s ▁first ▁Wal sh ▁Cup ▁against ▁Dublin ▁( 7 - 7 ▁to ▁ 1 - 7 ), ▁the ▁following ▁ 4 ▁December ▁at ▁Bir r . ▁Eug ene ▁C ough lan ' s ▁bra ce ▁of ▁goals ▁were ▁a ▁highlight ▁of ▁an ▁Off aly ▁performance ▁( for ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁there ▁to ▁see ) ▁of ▁revel atory ▁force . ▁ ▁Break through ▁at ▁U - 2 1 ▁level ▁Success ▁finally ▁came ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁when ▁the ▁Off aly ▁Under - 2 1 ▁h url ers ▁an nex ed ▁the ▁Le in ster ▁Title ▁that ▁had ▁narrow ly ▁el ud ed ▁them ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁No el ▁Ber gin ▁at ▁corner ▁forward ▁and ▁Joe ▁Mo oney ▁at ▁wing ▁back ▁represented ▁Se ir ▁K ier an . ▁W ins ▁over ▁Car low ▁( 4 - 1 7 ▁to ▁ 1 - 6 ) ▁and ▁W ex ford ▁( 5 - 9 ▁to ▁ 1 - 1 0 ) ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁Le in ster ▁Final ▁cl ash ▁with ▁La ois , ▁at ▁Car low ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁and ▁a ▁ 2 - 1 4 ▁to ▁ 2 - 7 ▁victory .