3 ▁first - round ▁win ▁over ▁Bir r ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁hard - f ought ▁vict ories ▁over ▁St ▁R yn agh ' s ▁( 2 - 4 ▁to ▁ 0 - 9 ) ▁and ▁L us mag h ▁( 3 - 1 2 ▁to ▁ 1 - 7 ). ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁next ▁over c ame ▁K inn itt y ▁by ▁ 1 - 1 4 ▁to ▁ 1 - 1 1 ▁in ▁the ▁Sem i - final ▁in ▁September . ▁Centre ▁back ▁M ick ▁C ough lan ' s ▁long - range ▁points ▁had ▁a ▁dem oral izing ▁effect ▁on ▁K inn itt y . ▁In ▁the ▁County ▁Final ▁itself , ▁however , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁again ▁lack ed ▁the ▁gu ile ▁to ▁prevent ▁St ▁R yn agh ' s ▁move ▁into ▁the ▁lead ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 4 th ▁minute . ▁Team ▁captain ▁No el ▁Ber gin ▁and ▁substitute ▁K ier an ▁Do ole y ▁had ▁had ▁to ▁go ▁off ▁injured . ▁There ▁were ▁still ▁only ▁three ▁points ▁in ▁it ▁when ▁Eug ene ▁C ough lan ' s ▁late ▁ras per ▁fle w ▁just ▁over ▁David ▁Hugh es ' s ▁cross bar , ▁to ▁leave ▁it ▁St ▁R yn agh ' s ▁ 0 - 1 1 ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁ 0 - 9 . ▁De fe at ▁felt ▁more ▁dev ast ating ▁even ▁than ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁County ▁Final , ▁because ▁the ▁Cla reen ▁men ▁had ▁had ▁the ▁winning