Galway 0-28
Dublin 1-12
GALWAY GOT THEIR league campaign off to a flying start with an impressive 13 points win at Pearse Stadium.
Galway laid the foundation for victory in the opening half and were ten points ahead by the interval.
Dublin notched two points in the opening two minutes from Dotsie O’Callaghan and Mark Schutte, but Galway took over from there and led by 0-16 to 0-6 at the interval.
All six Galway forwards found their range by the 27th minute when they led by double scores at 0-8 to 0-4.
Conor Cooney landed four frees in that opening half but it was debutant Cathal Mannion who really caught the eye, with the Ahascragh-Fohenagh clubman giving Peter Kelly a torrid time as he hit four points from play in the opening half.
Jonathan Glynn also got a brace for Galway as they surged 0-14 to 0-4 ahead after 26 minutes.
Dublin manager Anthony Daly reacted to the crisis by drafting in Colm Cronin and Alan McCrabbe for John McCaffrey and Paul Ryan.
McCrabbed landed a couple of frees before the break to leave ten points between them at the interval.
It got worse for Dublin seven minutes after the restart when Conal Keaney was sent off for a second yellow after a needless foul on Iarla Tannian.
Galway continued to pick off points from all angles, with David Burke and newcomer Padraig Brehony superb in midfield, as Dublin struggled to make any impact.
Sean McGrath got a goal for Dublin with his first touch after coming on but Dublin never looked like eating much into the deficit as Galway ran out deserving winners.
Scorers for Galway: Conor Cooney 0-6 (5f), Niall Healy 0-6 (1f), Cathal Mannion & Jason Flynn 0-4 each, Jonathon Glynn 0-3, Padraig Brehony 0-2, David Collins, Aidan Harte and Davy Glennon 0-1 each.
Scorers for Dublin: Sean McGrath 1-1 (0-1f), Alan McCrabbe 0-4 (4f), David O’Callaghan 0-3, Paul Ryan 0-2 (2f), Mark Schutte & Ryan O’Dwyer 0-1 each.
GALWAY: Colm Callanan (Kinvara); Fergal Moore (Turloughmore), Ronan Burke (Turloughmore), Johnny Coen (Loughrea); Aidan Harte (Gort), Iarla Tannian (Ardrahan), David Collins (Liam Mellows); David Burke (St Thomas’), Padraig Brehony (Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry); Conor Cooney (St Thomas’), Jonathon Glynn (Ardrahan), Jason Flynn (Tommie Larkins); Niall Healy (Craughwell), Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh), Davy Glennon (Mullagh).
Subs: Pádraig Landers (Beagh) for Cooney (11-14 blood), Richie Cummins (Gort) for Glennon (49), Daithí Burke (Turloughmore) for Tannian (58), Padraig Landers for Mannion (58), Kevin Hynes (Sarsfields) for Burke (64).
DUBLIN: Gary Maguire (Ballyboden St. Enda’s); Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala), Peter Kelly (Lucan Sarsfields), Simon Timlin (Cuala); Stephen Hiney (Ballyboden St. Enda’s), Liam Rushe (St. Pat’s Palmerstown), Michael Carton (O’Tooles); Ryan O’Dwyer (Kilmacud Crokes), Johnny McCaffrey (Lucan Sarsfields); Conal Keaney (Ballyboden St. Enda’s), David Treacy (Cuala), Danny Sutcliffe (St. Jude’s); David O’Callaghan (St. Marks), Paul Ryan (Ballyboden St. Enda’s), Mark Schutte (Cuala).
Subs: Colm Cronin (Cuala) for Ryan (31), Alan McCrabbe (Craobh Chiaráin) for McCaffrey (31), Eamon Dillon (Naomh Fionnbarra) for Sutcliffe (h-t), Conor McCormack (Ballyboden St. Enda’s) for Hiney (49), Sean McGrath (Kilmacud Crokes) for O’Dwyer (58).
Referee: Johnny Ryan (Tipperary)
