On 24 September 1978, Kerry won the championship following a 5-11 to 0-9 defeat of Dublin in the All-Ireland final.[1] This was their 24th All-Ireland title and their first in three championship seasons.
Jimmy Keaveney 0-7 (0-3f, 1 '45), Tony Hanahoe 1-2, Anton O'Toole 0-2, Robbie Kelleher, Brian Mullins, Bernard Brogan Sr, John McCarthy, Padraig Hogan, Paddy Gogarty 0-1 each
Denis Dalton 1-0, Tommy Carew 0-3 (0-2f), Mick Condon 0-2, Pat Dunny 0-1
Kevin Moran, who had signed for Manchester United F.C. in February 1978, was given permission from the club to line out for Dublin in their Leinster semi-final defeat of Offaly. He remained on the panel for all of Dublin's subsequent games.
On 28 May 1978, James Stephens Park, Ballina hosted its first championship game for 28 years it was the Connacht Quarter-final between Mayo and Leitrim.
At the Ulster final between Down and Cavan, an official attendance of 27,600 is given, however, it is estimated that between 6,000 and 8,000 extra spectators were at the game.
In the All-Ireland semi-final between Down and Dublin, the Down players wore black armbands as a mark of respect to the late Michael Cunningham. He was the father of the team's centre-forward Mickey Cunningham and died in the week leading up to the match.
Kerry won their first title in a year ending with 8. They became the first county in either code to win at least one All Ireland in years ending with all ten digits.
