▁Final ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁National ▁Hur ling ▁League ▁in ▁the ▁Spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁Off aly ▁avoided ▁a ▁re leg ation ▁play - off ▁against ▁Kil ken ny ▁only ▁by ▁virtue ▁of ▁a ▁better ▁scoring ▁record ▁than ▁had ▁An trim . ▁Mit ig ating ▁factors ▁were ▁Johnny ▁Do ole y ' s ▁kne e ▁trouble , ▁and ▁the ▁absence ▁of ▁the ▁Bir r ▁cont ing ent ▁( which ▁again ▁lifted ▁the ▁Tommy ▁Moore ▁Cup ▁on ▁St ▁Patrick ' s ▁Day ). ▁Although ▁the ▁injury ▁situation ▁had ▁reached ▁crisis ▁proport ions ▁by ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁championship , ▁Off aly ▁beat ▁Me ath ▁with ▁ 3 2 ▁points ▁to ▁spare ▁( 4 - 2 8 ▁to ▁ 0 - 8 ). ▁This ▁was ▁a ▁good ▁te e - up ▁for ▁the ▁cru cial ▁Le in ster ▁Sem i - final . ▁At ▁Cro ke ▁Park ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁a ▁heart - sto pping ▁game ▁of ▁s way ing ▁fort unes ▁again ▁looked ▁to ▁be ▁sh aded ▁W ex ford ' s ▁way . ▁However , ▁the ▁Sl ane ys iders ▁would ▁come ▁to ▁rue ▁their ▁nine ▁first - half ▁w ides , ▁as ▁Off aly ' s ▁vast ly - im pro ved ▁team work ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁half ▁brought ▁them ▁within ▁range . ▁Paul ▁C odd ' s ▁nin th ▁point ▁put ▁W ex ford ▁two ▁clear , ▁leaving ▁Off aly ▁no ▁option