▁a ▁boost . ▁ ▁Far rell ▁gu ided ▁his ▁native ▁county ▁to ▁three ▁All - I reland ▁titles ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁and ▁seemed ▁to ▁be ▁bl essed ▁with ▁a ▁very ▁strong ▁panel ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁his ▁third ▁st int ▁as ▁manager . ▁ ▁L imer ick , ▁the ▁All - I reland ▁run ners - up ▁of ▁the ▁previous ▁year , ▁were ▁again ▁tout ed ▁as ▁a ▁team ▁that ▁could ▁make ▁the ▁big ▁break through . ▁ ▁Two ▁All - I reland ▁final ▁defe ats ▁in ▁three ▁years , ▁however , ▁lead ▁some ▁comment ators ▁to ▁question ▁the ▁mental ▁t ough ness ▁of ▁the ▁team . ▁ ▁Cla re , ▁the ▁surprise ▁champions ▁of ▁two ▁years ▁earlier , ▁seemed ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁decl ine ▁and ▁were ▁seen ▁as ▁having ▁reached ▁their ▁z en ith ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁ ▁Ti pper ary , ▁however , ▁were ▁viewed ▁as ▁the ▁dark ▁horses ▁of ▁the ▁championship . ▁ ▁Although ▁the ▁' big ▁three ' ▁were ▁in ▁decl ine ▁for ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁years , ▁a ▁res urg ent ▁John ▁Le ah y ▁seemed ▁to ▁give ▁T ipp ▁a ▁half - ch ance ▁of ▁landing ▁the ▁championship ▁title . ▁ ▁The ▁championship ▁ ▁Part icip ating ▁count ies ▁ ▁Format ▁ ▁Con n acht ▁Championship ▁Final : ▁( 1 ▁match ) ▁This ▁is ▁a ▁l one ▁match ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁compet ing ▁Con n acht ▁teams . ▁ ▁One ▁team ▁is ▁elimin ated ▁at ▁this ▁stage ,