y ▁remarked ▁that ▁the ▁for wards ▁were ▁clock ing ▁up ▁scores ▁like ▁ 2 - 2 2 ▁and ▁ 3 - 2 4 ▁in ▁challenge ▁games . ▁The ▁confidence ▁that ▁Off aly ▁possessed ▁such ▁fire power ▁would ▁prove ▁cru cial ▁when ▁the ▁going ▁got ▁t ough ▁in ▁the ▁All ▁Ireland ▁Final . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁inter im , ▁there ▁were ▁several ▁heart - sto pping ▁moments ▁in ▁the ▁All ▁Ireland ▁Senior ▁Hur ling ▁Sem i - final ▁on ▁ 7 ▁August , ▁which ▁ended ▁Off aly ▁ 2 - 1 3 , ▁Gal way ▁ 1 - 1 0 . ▁The ▁Fa ith ful ▁County ▁domin ated ▁the ▁first ▁half , ▁but ▁lost ▁concentration ▁and ▁allowed ▁a ▁hard - h itting ▁Gal way ▁side ▁back ▁into ▁it ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁quarter . ▁Billy ▁Do ole y ' s ▁brave ▁goal ▁at ▁that ▁stage ▁was ▁cru cial . ▁Christ y ▁He le bert ▁rose ▁to ▁a ▁magnific ent ▁display ▁for ▁the ▁Trib es men , ▁at ▁the ▁price ▁of ▁fre es ▁conced ed ▁in ▁Johnny ▁Do ole y ' s ▁range . ▁Pat ▁O ' Con nor , ▁having ▁made ▁a ▁com eb ack ▁from ▁his ▁leg ▁inj uries , ▁led ▁the ▁Gal way ▁defence ▁a ▁mer ry ▁dance . ▁Each ▁of ▁Off aly ' s ▁re arg u ard ▁was ▁a ▁tower ▁of ▁strength . ▁Having ▁thus ▁a ven ged ▁their ▁Sem i - final ▁defe ats ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Off aly ▁were