Galway 2-13 Meath 1-12
Goals in each half from Danny Cummins and Shane Walsh saw Galway to a convincing 2-13 to 1-12 victory over Meath at Pearse Stadium.
Cummins was the stand-out performer for Galway with a 1-3 haul as Kevin Walsh's side got their Allianz Football League Division 2 campaign off to an excellent start.
Playing with the aid of whatever breeze there was, Meath took the lead in the first minute when full forward Micky Newman tapped over a free.
Paul Varley drew Galway level with a second-minute point and the home side, who lined up with just Danny Cummins and Adrian Varley in the full-forward line, soon took control as their patient play and accurate foot passing into the duo began to reap dividends.
An Eddie Hoare free put Galway ahead before Cummins pointed well from an acute angle in the sixth minute to stretch the advantage.
Hoare made the most of a loose clearance from Paddy O'Rourke, and Cummins' second point, with Garreth Bradshaw and Gary O'Donnell involved in the build up gave Galway a 0-5 to 0-1 lead.
Galway looked a fluid unit in the first quarter and the move for Cummins' goal would certainly have pleased manager Kevin Walsh. A long Tom Flynn free picked out Adrian Varley and the Cortoon man fed the on rushing Sean Denvir. Denvir drew the cover and passed to Cummins, whose half blocked shot just made it across the line.
It was alarming how easily Galway tore Meath asunder at times and manager Mick O'Dowd obviously thought the same as he handed Donncha Tobin the role of sweeper in front of his full-back line. The difference was immediate as Meath began to cut out Galway attacks and slowly worked their way back into contention at the other end.
Newman landed a free to get the Royals back on track in the 24th minute and O'Rourke drilled over a 45 a minute later. Bryan Menton linked well with Stephen Bray to score on the run and a minute from the break Newman kicked his third free as Galway led by 1-6 to 0-5 at the interval.
The home side started the second half brightly, but the first score of the half didn’t arrive until the 42nd minute when Shane Walsh landed a monster score from the left.
Cummins extended the Galway lead to six points after Hoare was denied by a great save form O'Rourke, and two minutes later the 'keeper trimmed the lead to five with a long-range free at the other rend.
Meath's cause was not aided by the 48th minute black card awarded to Andrew Tormey, but despite the setback they rallied with the next four points to pull within two of the Tribesmen.
But Galway clinched the win with a blistering two-minute spell where they kicked an unanswered 1-3, the goal from Shane Walsh in the 61st minute killing off the Meath challenge altogether, despite Jamie Queeney's late consolation goal.
Galway: B O'Donoghue; D O'Neill, C Forde, C Sweeney; P Varley (0-02), G Bradshaw, G O'Donnell; F Ó Curraoin (0-01), T Flynn; S Denvir (0-01), E Hoare (0-02, 0-01f), E Tierney; D Cummins (1-03), A Varley (0-01), S Walsh (1-03, 0-01f).
Subs: P Sweeney for A Varley (59 mins), M Martin for Hoare (65), C Mulryan for Cummins (68), D Kyne for P Varley (70 BC).
Meath: P O'Rourke (0-03, 0-02f, 0-01f); D Tobin, C McGill, M Burke; P Harnan, D Keogan, B Menton (0-01); H Rooney, A Flanagan; G Reilly (0-01), S Bray (0-02), A Tormey; B McMahon, M Newman (0-05, 0-04f), J Wallace.
Subs: D Carroll for McMahon (43 mins), J Queeney (1-00) for Tormey (48 BC), S Tobin for Wallace (62), D Dalton for Haran (66), C McConnell for D Tobin (67).
Referee: Padraig O'Sullivan (Kerry).
