Cork dominated the championship again in 1978 with Barry-Murphy winning a fourth consecutive Munster winners' medal. This victory paved the way for Cork to take on Kilkenny in the subsequent All-Ireland final. The stakes were high as Cork were attempting to capture a first three in-a-row of championship titles since 1954. Cork were never really troubled over the course of the seventy minutes and a Barry-Murphy goal helped the team to a 1–15 to 2–8 victory over their age-old rivals. It was his third All-Ireland winners' medal.