The game, which was a replay of the 1953 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final, involved the county teams of Kerry and Armagh.

Kerry were attempting to win their 33rd All-Ireland whilst Armagh, competing in a final on only the third occasion were trying to capture the championship for the first time.

Armagh on the other hand, whilst having dominated Ulster for the last number of years, had never gone the whole way to capturing the Sam Maguire Cup.

Kerry faced reigning All-Ireland and Connacht Champions Galway in their quarter finals, dismissing the holders 2–17 to 1–12.

In a replay of the Munster semi-final Kerry again faced Cork in the All-Ireland equivalent, this time beating the Lee-siders convincingly 3–19 to 2–07.

A point from Armagh man Diarmaid Marsden gave the Orchard Boys a small glimmer of hope but they went in trailing at the break 0–11 to 0–07.

[2] Two weeks previously at the Hurling Final the Liam MacCarthy Cup was awarded to Kilkenny on a podium in the centre of the pitch whilst Cliff Richard's "Congratulations" was played over the public address system.

On John Bannon's final whistle Armagh fans were determined that their first All-Ireland win would not be celebrated in the same way and thousands encroached onto the pitch, many climbing the fences from the Hill 16 end where McConville had scored his goal until stewards relented and opened the gates.