 A 2–11 to 1–12 score line resulted in defeat for Galway.Galway reached a second successive All-Ireland decider on 7 September 1986, with the team installed as red-hot favourites against an ageing Cork team.On the day a different story unfolded as four goals - one from John Fenton, two from Tomás Mulcahy and one from Kevin Hennessy - stymied the Galway attack and helped Cork to a 4–13 to 2–15 victory.