Dublin's recent winning streak shows no signs of stopping any time soon on the evidence of their comprehensive win over an understrength Galway at a wintry Pearse Stadium in Salthill.
The All-Ireland champions cruised to victory after dominating from beginning to end against Padraic Joyce’s injury-hit outfit and they remain on course for a place in the Division 1 league final after this fourth win of the campaign.
The Tribesmen remain firmly in the relegation zone after a third defeat in six matches as they continued to struggle to put scores on the board in the absence of injured attackers Shane Walsh, Damien Comer and Matthew Tierney, as well as inspirational captain Seán Kelly.
Con O’Callaghan played a starring role for Dublin, leading the line brilliantly for Dessie Farrell’s well-drilled outfit, and he shot nine points (three from play) as he tormented Galway’s overworked defence.
Farrell used the opportunity to play Evan Comerford in goal, while Tom Lahiff, Killian McGinnis, Daire Newcombe and Killian O’Gara also came into the starting team.
The quintet didn’t look out of place during the course of a largely uneventful game, while Jack McCaffrey, Colm Basquel and Paul Mannion all came off the bench during the course of the second half.
The winners played some very smart football in the opening half and they were at their fast-breaking best, especially during the second quarter.
It was no surprise to see them head into the dressing room at half-time leading by 0-10 to 0-06.
Two early frees from Galway top scorer Cillian Ó Curraoin gave the home supporters something to shout about, but Dublin quickly took control.
They laid siege to the Galway goal to shoot six points in just over ten minutes - three from the aforementioned O’Callaghan and one each from Killian McGinnis, Ross McGarry and Seán Bugler - to surge ahead by 0-08 to 0-03 on 17 minutes.
Galway kept in touch with scores from attack-minded defender Johnny McGrath, Rory Cunningham and Ó Curraoin, but despite adding just two points to their tally in the second quarter, Dublin were still in the driving seat at the break.
Well-worked scores from Seán Bugler and Brian Fenton helped to pad out the advantage, while white flags from Rory Cunningham and the promising Ó Curraoin kept Galway in the hunt.
Joyce introduced veteran Paul Conroy at the interval in an effort to get the home side’s attack firing and two good points from Ó Curraoin helped to close the gap a little.
But Dublin stuck to their game plan and shot seven of the next nine points during a dazzling 11-minute spell to pull away once and for all.
The impressive Ross McGarry, goalkeeper Comerford (free), Ciarán Kilkenny, Tom Lahiff, substitute Basquel and O’Callaghan (two) all clipped points to leave Galway trailing by eight points after 60 minutes.
The remaining quarter of an hour saw Dublin keep their hosts at a safe distance while running their bench, although Galway, to their credit, never threw in the towel and added four further points to their tally.
Impact subs Liam Ó Conghaile and Jack McCabe shot two of those scores, with Ó Curraoin also chipping in with a couple of frees.
But Dublin rounded off an impressive afternoon’s work with three unanswered points from O’Callaghan (two frees) and Seán Bugler to send another statement of intent to their rivals.
Galway: C Gleeson; J McGrath (0-01), S Fitzgerald, S Mulkerrin; E Kelly, J Daly, D O’Flaherty; C Darcy, J Maher (0-01); J Heaney, D McHugh, C Sweeney (0-01); C Ó Curraoin (0-08, 5fs), N Daly, R Cunningham (0-01).
Subs: P Conroy for N Daly (HT); L Ó Conghaile (0-01) for Darcy (57); J McCabe (0-01) for Ó Curraoin (57); P Egan for Heaney (61).
Dublin: E Comerford (0-01, 1f); S MacMahon, T Lahiff (0-02), D Newcombe; C Murphy, J Small, K McGinnis (0-02); B Howard, B Fenton (0-01); R McGarry (0-2), S Bugler (0-03), C Kilkenny (0-01); K O’Gara, C O’Callaghan (0-09, 5fs, mark), N Scully.
Subs: C Basquel (0-01) for O’Gara (48); J McCaffrey for McGinnis (51); P Mannion for McGarry (54); L O’Dell for Scully (54); T Clancy for MacMahon (68).
Referee: B Cawley (Kildare)
