▁two ▁green ▁flags ▁early ▁on , ▁but ▁Billy ▁Do ole y ' s ▁goal ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁short ▁wh ist le ▁gave ▁his ▁team ▁a ▁fighting ▁chance . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁fourth ▁quarter ▁before ▁Off aly ▁mes hed ▁into ▁their ▁top ▁g ear . ▁It ▁was ▁too ▁late ▁on ▁this ▁occasion , ▁as ▁W ex ford ▁advanced ▁with ▁a ▁goal ▁to ▁spare ▁( W ex ford ▁ 3 - 1 2 , ▁Off aly ▁ 2 - 1 2 ). ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁only ▁the ▁fourth ▁time ▁in ▁eigh teen ▁years ▁that ▁Off aly ▁had ▁failed ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁Le in ster ▁Senior ▁Hur ling ▁Final . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Off aly ▁had ▁had ▁recent ▁success ▁at ▁Minor ▁and ▁U - 2 1 ▁level . ▁There ▁was ▁no ▁such ▁silver ▁l ining ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁On ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁Off aly ' s ▁status ▁as ▁a ▁hur ling ▁county ▁was ▁higher ▁than ▁ever ▁before . ▁At ▁the ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁meeting ▁of ▁the ▁Off aly ▁County ▁Board , ▁Br end an ▁Ward ▁the ▁chairman ▁and ▁Tony ▁Mur phy ▁the ▁hur ling ▁secretary ▁re called ▁that ▁during ▁their ▁four ▁years ▁in ▁charge , ▁É am onn ▁C reg an , ▁Der ry ▁O ' Don ovan ▁and ▁their ▁select ors ▁had ▁delivered ▁two ▁Le in ster ▁Tit les , ▁victory ▁and ▁run ners - up ▁in