▁had ▁taken ▁over ▁as ▁Off aly ▁manager ▁at ▁this ▁stage , ▁and ▁he ▁said ▁the ▁aim ▁was ▁simply ▁to ▁win ▁promotion ▁from ▁League ▁Division ▁ 2 . ▁A ▁good ▁start ▁was ▁made ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁October ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁against ▁An trim ▁in ▁Cas ement ▁Park ▁( 3 - 7 ▁to ▁ 0 - 1 1 ), ▁before ▁Off aly ▁came ▁home ▁to ▁Bir r ▁to ▁defeat ▁La ois ▁by ▁ 0 - 1 9 ▁to ▁ 2 - 8 . ▁D anny ▁O w ens ▁( K ill oug he y ) ▁got ▁seven ▁of ▁his ▁nine ▁points ▁from ▁fre es , ▁while ▁five ▁of ▁Johnny ▁Do ole y ' s ▁six ▁points ▁were ▁from ▁open ▁play . ▁W ins ▁over ▁Me ath ▁( 0 - 1 3 ▁to ▁ 0 - 9 ) ▁and ▁Der ry ▁( 5 - 9 ▁to ▁ 0 - 7 ) ▁followed ▁in ▁November . ▁The ▁Der ry ▁game ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁a ▁miser ably ▁wet ▁S la ug ht ne il , ▁where ▁Se ir ▁K ier an ' s ▁brilliant ▁goal ie ▁Li am ▁C ough lan ▁stood ▁in ▁for ▁Jim ▁T roy . ▁Res uming ▁at ▁Sal th ill ▁on ▁ 1 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁Off aly ▁lost ▁to ▁Gal way ▁by ▁ 1 - 1 1 ▁to ▁ 0 - 9 , ▁in ▁what ▁was ▁still ▁a ▁good ▁performance . ▁However , ▁their ▁ch ances ▁of ▁promotion ▁took ▁a ▁real ▁nose - d ive