The game was the only Championship loss suffered by Jim Gavin as Dublin senior manager, a role he held for much of the decade until his resignation in the last weeks of 2019.

The outcome was widely considered the greatest shock in the history of the Championship, with Dublin placed at unbackable odds by bookmakers on the morning of the game and anticipation rife of a "massacre" by the citizens of the north-western side.

[5] They were hosting Donegal on home turf at Croke Park, and had won the tournament on twenty-four previous occasions.

[6][7] Dublin's route to the semi-final included Leinster Championship victories over Laois, Wexford and Meath and an All-Ireland quarter-final thrashing of Monaghan.

Donegal's route to the semi-final included Ulster Championship victories over Derry, Antrim and Monaghan and an All-Ireland quarter-final defeat of Armagh.

Each side made two late changes: David Walsh and Rory Kavanagh were placed into the Donegal attack, while youngsters Jack McCaffrey and Cormac Costello came in for Dublin.

[8] Dublin were placed at unbackable odds by bookmakers on the morning of the game and anticipation was rife of a "massacre" by the citizens of the north-western side.

[3] Seán Moran, an "expert" at The Irish Times, declared ahead of the game that "Dublin are too well equipped to live with whatever pressure Donegal can exert.

"[9] Some experts even suggested that the only team capable of beating Dublin and denying them a third Sam Maguire Cup in four years, never mind a place in the All-Ireland Final against Kerry, was their own substitutes.

Diarmuid Connolly and Philly McMahon added to Dublin's lead before Michael Murphy brought the score to 0–7 – 0–3.

[15] A run from Anthony Thompson picked out Ryan McHugh who knocked the ball into the net past a hapless Stephen Cluxton.

Paddy Andrews, a substitute for the startled Alan Brogan, and Diarmuid Connolly added points for Dublin.

[16] Malachy Clerkin described the outcome as "a raid for the ages [...] In front of 81,500 sets of eyes, [Donegal] left Dublin looking like an old sweater turned inside out, its edges frayed and its patterns fuzzy".

"[18] Keith Duggan described Donegal's defeat of Dublin as "the most glorious proof of [...] a game plan which is unlike anything witnessed in Gaelic football before" and alluded to Muhammad Ali's cry: I shocked the world!

[21] The BBC described as "a huge shock" that Dublin "the 'team that couldn't be beaten' wilted as their composure deserted them" and suggested there would be "major inquests in the Irish capital about what went wrong for Jim Gavin's side".

[23] Pundit Martin McHugh said after the game that Jim McGuinness was "the best manager Donegal have ever had, and one of the best in any county in the modern era.

[25] Former Mayo player Billy Joe Padden described Donegal manager Jim McGuinness as "the greatest GAA coach of all time".

[27] Ireland manager Paul Earley hailed Donegal's victory as Jim McGuinness's greatest coaching achievement.

[28] Sports psychologist Enda McNulty said the “hype machine” surrounding Dublin had caused them to collapse against Donegal.