By Ciaran McGreal at Tuam Stadium
Galway 3-12 Kildare 1-12
Galway defeated Kildare by two goals to ensure their Division 2 status and condemn Kildare to their second relegation in as many years.
Shane Walsh (2) and Fiontán Ó Curraoin bagged the goals for the hosts in Tuam Stadium.
Ó Curraoin was sent off in the last minute as Kildare were awarded a penalty but Mikey Conway saw his shot come back off the post.
The visitors did get a goal at the death through Daniel Flynn but it was too little too late for Jason Ryan's men who drop down to Division 3.
Galway led 1-10 to 0-7 at half time but they should have been much further in front.
Kildare goalkeeper Mark Donnellan denied Sean Denvir in spectacular fashion after 11 minutes as he dived to his right to deny the wing forward.
Kildare got two points in as many minutes straight after Donnellan's save through Padraig Fogarty and Gary White which put them 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after 13 minutes.
Galway spurned another goal chance in the 14th minute when Patrick Sweeney shot wide with the goal at his mercy. Peader Óg Ó Gríofa flicked the ball into his path but the Killanin man volleyed wide of the gaping goal.
Donnellan was called into action again a minute later as he denied Walsh at his near post.
Walsh eventually got Galway's first goal in the 24th minute after some excellent build-up. Gary Sice found Ó Gríofa in space who played Walsh through and the Kilkerrin-Clonberne man rifled to the net.
The hosts added three more points after the goal to go in six points to the good at half time.
Kildare got the first three points of the second half through Eoghan O'Flaherty, Alan Smith and Daniel Flynn.
Those scores narrowed the gap to three points but Ó Curraoin put six between the sides again after his 48th-minute goal.
Walsh's sideline was flicked on by Damien Comer and the ball came back off the post. But Ó Curraoin reacted well to provide the finish and make it 2-10 to 0-10.
Galway's third goal came after Kildare substitute Cathal McNally saw his shot well saved by Manus Breathnach and the home side went on the counter.
Walsh grabbed his second goal of the game from that attack to make it 3-10 to 0-10 after 58 minutes.
The visitors had another golden chance in the 62nd minute but Breathnach saved from substitute Tommy Moolick. Fellow substitute Conway kicked two frees to keep Kildare in the hunt but he wasn't as accurate from the penalty spot as his low shot rattled off the righthand post.
Flynn's goal came in the last minute but proved immaterial for the Leinster side who will be playing Division 3 football next year.
Galway: M Breathnach (0-01, '45); J Duane, F Hanley, C Sweeney; G O'Donnell, G Bradshaw, P Varley ; F Ó Curraoin (1-01), P Conroy (0-03, 0-02 frees); G Sice (0-01), S Walsh (2-01), S Denvir; P Ó Gríofa (0-04, 0-03 frees), P Sweeney (0-01), M Lundy.
Subs: L Silke for Bradshaw (40 mins), D Comer for P Sweeney (46 mins), A Varley for Comer (54 mins), C Healy for O’Griofa (70 mins), E Hoare for Denvir (70 mins).
Kildare: M Donnellan; O Lyons, C Fitzpatrick, M O'Grady; P Kelly, F Conway, E Bolton; G White (0-02), P Cribbin (0-02); K Cribbin, E O'Flaherty (0-01, free), F Dowling; A Smith (0-02), P Fogarty (0-01), E Callaghan (0-01).
Subs: D Hyland for Fitzpatrick (h-t), D Flynn (1-01) for Fogarty (h-t), T Moolick for White (50 mins), C McNally for Callaghan (55 mins), M Conway (0-02, frees) for O’Flaherty (60 mins), G Farrell for K Cribbin (68 mins).
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)
