The All-Ireland defeat saw a reshuffle of the team take place. O'Hara subsequently missed Kilkenny's Leinster final win of 1979, however, he returned in time for the All-Ireland final with Galway. The game, however, turned out to be one of the least exciting finals of the decade. A goal by Noel Lane after forty-seven minutes gave Galway a two-point lead; however, the men from the west failed to score for the rest of the game. Kilkenny, on the other hand, scored two long-range goals to secure a 2-12 to 1-8 victory. It was O'Hara's first All-Ireland winners' medal.