Stars missing on both sides

  While Galway were forced to line out without a number of players including Kevin Hynes, Andy Smith, Niall Healy and Joe Canning, Dublin who were badly hit by injury last year and still went very close to reaching the All-Ireland final had to field without cruciate injury victims Stephen Hiney, Tomás Brady and Conal Keaney plus shorter-term absentees David 'Dotsy' O'Callaghan, the Plunkett brothers and Paul Schutte. Dublin actually finished the game with 14 men as all five subs had been used when Peter Kelly went off injured. Among their best performers were Gary Maguire in goals, Niall Corcoran, Peter Kelly, Shane Durkin, Danny Sutcliffe and Conor McCormack. Galway: J. Skehill; D. Connolly, D. Collins, G. O'Halloran; N. Donoghue, F. Moore (captain), T. Óg Regan; D. Burke, C. Donnellan (0-1): C. Cooney (0-4), N. Burke (0-10, three frees, two 65s) I. Tannian (0-1); D. Hayes (0-1), B. Daly, J. Regan (0-3). Subs: J. Coen for Daly, E. Ryan for Donnellan, B. Burke for Regan, J. Cooney for C. Cooney. Dublin: G. Maguire; N. Corcoran, P. Kelly, R. Treanor; M. Carton, J. Boland, S. Durkin (0-1); J. McCaffrey, D. Sutcliffe (0-1); S. Stapleton, R. O'Dwyer (0-2, frees), C. McCormack (0-2); D. Treacy, L. Rushe (0-1), P. Ryan (0-6, one 65, five frees). Subs: A. McCrabbe for Rushe, D. O'Dwyer for Stapleton, S. Lambert for Treacy, M. O'Brien for Boland, E. Dillon for Ryan. Referee: Diarmuid Kirwan (Cork). Herald Sport Man of the Match: Niall Burke (Galway).