▁into ▁the ▁All ▁Ireland ▁Final ▁itself , ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁Once ▁more ▁facing ▁a ▁phys ically - t ough ▁Kil ken ny ▁side , ▁Off aly ▁over turn ed ▁the ▁Le in ster ▁Final ▁ver dict ▁and ▁won ▁by ▁ 2 - 1 6 ▁to ▁ 1 - 1 3 . ▁Of ▁a ▁my ri ad ▁highlight s , ▁few ▁would ▁be ▁more ▁talked ▁about ▁than ▁Brian ▁Wh el ah an ' s ▁move ▁up field , ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁ful c rum ▁of ▁the ▁Off aly ▁attack . ▁Before ▁lif ting ▁the ▁Mc Car thy ▁Cup , ▁Off aly ▁captain ▁Hub ert ▁R ig ney ▁( St ▁R yn agh ' s ) ▁declared : ▁" We ▁may ▁have ▁gone ▁in ▁the ▁back ▁door ▁– ▁but ▁we ' re ▁coming ▁out ▁the ▁front !" ▁The ▁next ▁issue ▁of ▁the ▁Mid land ▁Trib une ▁attempted ▁to ▁sum ▁up , ▁from ▁the ▁Fa ith ful ▁County ' s ▁point ▁of ▁view , ▁a ▁roll er - co aster ▁year : ▁ ▁" So ▁who ▁are ▁the ▁hero es ? ▁E igh teen ▁on ▁the ▁pitch ▁on ▁Sunday , ▁ten ▁more ▁in ▁the ▁d ug out , ▁three ▁in ▁charge , ▁and ▁the ▁team ▁secretary ▁from ▁old ▁Cla reen ▁in ▁the ▁background . ▁Br end an ▁Ward ▁too ▁deser ves ▁immense ▁credit , ▁along ▁with ▁Christ y ▁Tod d , ▁and ▁all ▁who ▁contributed ▁to ▁what ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁controvers ial ▁and ▁the ▁most ▁amaz ing ▁hur