▁and ▁self - bel ief ▁that ▁won ▁out . ▁Dam ien ▁Martin ▁pu ck ed ▁to ▁P ád ra ig ▁Hor an ▁in ▁mid field , ▁who ▁sent ▁sweet ly ▁to ▁Johnny ▁F lah ert y ▁and ▁over ▁the ▁bar , ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁ 3 - 1 2 ▁to ▁ 2 - 1 3 ▁at ▁the ▁long ▁wh ist le . ▁ ▁The ▁Le in ster ▁Champions ▁won ▁direct ▁passage ▁to ▁the ▁All ▁Ireland ▁Final , ▁played ▁on ▁ 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁The ▁opposition ▁were ▁def ending ▁champions ▁Gal way , ▁who ▁had ▁overcome ▁Mun ster ▁champions ▁L imer ick ▁in ▁the ▁Sem i - final ▁( follow ing ▁a ▁re play ). ▁The ▁official ▁attend ance ▁of ▁ 7 1 , 3 8 4 ▁( the ▁highest ▁in ▁ 1 8 ▁years ) ▁saw ▁Off aly ▁win ▁their ▁first ▁Senior ▁Hur ling ▁Title . ▁Gal way ▁made ▁the ▁play ▁for ▁long ▁sp ells , ▁and ▁the ▁Off aly ▁defence ▁absor bed ▁huge ▁pressure . ▁Eug ene ▁C ough lan ▁at ▁full ▁back ▁kept ▁John ▁Con n olly ▁sc or eless , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁same ▁for ▁Joe ▁Con n olly ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁switched ▁to ▁full ▁forward . ▁Pat ▁Fle ury ▁like wise ▁neutral ised ▁Bern ie ▁For de , ▁to ▁round ▁out ▁a ▁f law less ▁campaign ▁in ▁which ▁none ▁of ▁Fle ury ' s ▁direct ▁oppon ents ▁scored ▁at ▁all . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁other ▁end , ▁Pat ▁Car roll ' s ▁kne