Croke Park needed a thriving scene in the capital and the former Dublin goalkeeper, who died yesterday at the age of 80, played a crucial part with his penalty save against Galway in the 1974 All-Ireland final

Paddy Cullen makes a crucial penalty save from Liam Sammon of Galway during the 1974 All Ireland football final

I had the perfect vantage point to witness arguably the most significant save in Gaelic football history.

Squeezed in behind the Canal End goal with lots of fellow Galway supporters, the disappointment of defeat, endured from the same spot in the 1971 (v Offaly) and 1973 (v Cork) All-Ireland finals, was heading into the distant memory as Liam Sammon lined up a penalty.