▁Jim ▁T roy ▁( L us mag h ) ▁was ▁goal keeper , ▁and ▁Br end an ▁Ke es han ▁( Sh in r one ) ▁was ▁captain . ▁Off aly ▁progress ed ▁to ▁their ▁first - ever ▁All ▁Ireland ▁U - 2 1 ▁Sem i - final ▁– ▁and ▁a ▁bitter ▁ 2 - 1 4 ▁to ▁ 2 - 7 ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁hands ▁of ▁a ▁Gal way ▁squad ▁whose ▁hur ling ▁bore ▁a ▁more ▁author itative ▁stamp . ▁Despite ▁this ▁sequ el , ▁to ▁have ▁made ▁a ▁break through ▁at ▁the ▁consist ently ▁excellent ▁U - 2 1 ▁grade ▁could ▁only ▁be ▁a ▁t onic ▁for ▁Off aly ▁hur ling . ▁The ▁Senior ▁team ▁could ▁not ▁em ulate ▁the ▁U - 2 1 s ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁subm itting ▁me ek ly ▁to ▁Kil ken ny ▁( 2 - 1 7 ▁to ▁ 1 - 4 ); ▁but ▁they ▁would ▁pull ▁out ▁all ▁the ▁stops ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁Administration ▁and ▁Co aching ▁Fr . ▁Se an ▁He an ey ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁Off aly ▁County ▁Board ▁at ▁this ▁stage , ▁while ▁John ▁Dow ling ▁continued ▁his ▁long ▁service ▁as ▁Secretary . ▁Two ▁new ▁assistant ▁secretary ▁posts ▁( with ▁responsibility ▁for ▁hur ling ▁and ▁for ▁football ) ▁were ▁created . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ' s ▁Tony ▁Mur phy ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁hur ling ▁secretary ▁role , ▁in ▁which ▁capacity ▁he ▁would ▁make ▁a ▁singular