ling ▁year ▁of ▁all ▁time ." ▁ ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ' s ▁eleven ▁championship ▁games ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁The ▁Li am ▁Mac Car thy ▁Cup ▁stopped ▁off ▁in ▁Cla reen ▁on ▁Wed nes day , ▁ 1 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁another ▁mag ical ▁night ▁for ▁both ▁club ▁and ▁parish . ▁The ▁All ▁Star ▁Awards ▁won ▁by ▁Joe ▁Do ole y ▁and ▁Kevin ▁Kin ah an ▁in ▁December ▁were ▁the ▁ic ing ▁on ▁the ▁c ake . ▁Even ▁so , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ' s ▁main ▁focus ▁remained ▁the ▁Off aly ▁S HC . ▁A part ▁from ▁Michael ▁Con n olly ▁the ▁coach , ▁the ▁select ors ▁for ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁were ▁Se an ▁C ough lan , ▁Se an ▁Ber gin ▁and ▁Will ie ▁Do ole y . ▁Their ▁first ▁assignment ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁April ▁was ▁the ▁recently ▁crown ed ▁All ▁Ireland ▁Club ▁champions . ▁Cond itions ▁were ▁heavy ▁– ▁one ▁of ▁Li am ▁C ough lan ' s ▁pu ck - outs ▁plug ged ▁without ▁a ▁b ounce ▁into ▁the ▁m uck ▁– ▁but ▁both ▁sides ▁hur led ▁well . ▁As ▁usual , ▁though , ▁Bir r ' s ▁switch es ▁st if led ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ' s ▁early ▁advantage , ▁and ▁they ▁gradually ▁pulled ▁away ▁( B ir r ▁ 3 - 1 4 , ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ▁ 2 - 7 ). ▁Another ▁defeat ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁round ▁( C