Galway led 1–4 to 0–5 at half-time, with a Michael Rooney goal.

Paddy Cullen saved a penalty kick (placed 17th in RTÉ's 2005 series Top 20 GAA Moments) and Kevin Heffernan's Dublin staged a comeback to win by five points.

[2] The penalty save (Liam Sammon took it) occurred at the Canal End of Croke Park.

[3] It was Galway's second consecutive appearance in an All-Ireland SFC final; they lost to Cork in 1973.

[4] Paddy Devlin, who had previously taken charge of the 1972 replay, was the last Tyrone man to referee an All-Ireland SFC final until Sean Hurson took charge of the 2022 final.