Galway - 3-12, Westmeath - 0-13: If the league means anything, then Westmeath have a clearer perception of just where they are at and where they ultimately want to be.
Galway, celestial in a new white strip, came to Mullingar to promote the beautiful game and at one point even their hosts seemed content to sit back and watch.
Without Donnellan the Younger, footballer of the year Declan Meehan and seminal full forward Padraig Joyce, the All-Ireland champions looked frighteningly smooth. Novice-cum-All Star Kieran Fitzgerald auditioned for the vacancy at centre back with a sense of authority that will have comforted Galway fans while Joe Bergin looks ready to step from the long shadow of Kevin Walsh to become the new leader of the midfield.
With Ja Fallon brimming with the old trickery, clipping six points from play, and Derek Savage up to the usual mischief, the westerners do not appear to have been overburdened by their possession of the Sam Maguire. In fact, they looked ominously lean.
The substantial damage occurred over the first half-hour when Westmeath were taken for 2-7. Several of those scores originated in the home team's uncharacteristically elaborate attacks that left them exposed when the plans broke down.
Galway dropped back, packing their own 40 and hustled while Westmeath dithered in possession and then fired direct ball for Savage and the Clancy boys to enjoy. The disarray in the home defence was fatal. After just six minutes, Michael Colleran lobbed a hopeful ball towards the goalmouth and while Damien Mitchell waited to collect, Tommy Joyce stole in from his rear, palmed it down and kicked the first goal.
Ten minutes later, Westmeath were left for dead again, with Bergin bursting clear after terminating another meandering home attack and putting Matthew Clancy through on goal. The finish was simple and telling.
With Fallon kicking points for fun and making life uncomfortable for young Kenny McKinley, it was one-way traffic. After 32 minutes, Clancy was in on goal again after a fine pass from Tommy Joyce and would have ended the contest but for a brave block from Mitchell.
Two injury-time scores from Alan Mangan and the lively Fergal Wilson re-awakened the home side and after the restart, they stopped admiring Galway. Joe Fallon added a sense of urgency to the attack and David Hughes came into his own at midfield. Four crisp scores in succession, leaving it at 0-9 to 2-8, revived the muted home support of - 5,246 and a Brian Morley point after 52 minutes made a famous comeback look possible.
Galway, though, were biding their time. After one of their trademark stretches without a score, this one lasting 23 minutes, they put the game beyond Westmeath so abruptly it didn't seem fair. Damien Healy was mobbed while trying to clear from defence, the ball broke and Matthew Clancy spied his namesake Paul in no-man's land. A box-kick into space put Clancy in a one-on-one confrontation with Aidan Lennon and the resultant chip was both gorgeous and cruel, hanging in the air long enough for the home fans to groan aloud before dropping gently in around the goal.
The dramatic tension was deflated with that score and the teams traded scores until time expired. John Donnellan made an appearance with 15 minutes remaining and dispatched a pair of frees. The presence of Walsh suggests the big man is going to work the joints for yet another season. Gary Fahey, Galway's low-key captain, was not bettered all afternoon and Alan Keane appears to have grown a few inches since the championship.
Westmeath will not be all that discouraged. They too were missing several banner names - no Dolan, no Flanagan nor Ger Heavin - and looked out of sorts rather than out of depth. It was a useful learning experience for new boys James Davitt and Mangan.
JP Casey had a solid afternoon, finishing with four points while Fergal Murray had an interesting personal tussle with the impossibly energetic Savage. They have plenty of time to tinker and get it right before the next great assault on the establishment.
WESTMEATH: A Lennon; J Davitt, D Mitchell, F Murray; D Ealy, K McKinley, J Keane; R O'Connell (0-1), D Hughes (0-1); B Morley, F Wilson (0-3), D Heavin; A Mangan (0-1), M Ennis, JP Casey (0-4, 2 frees). Subs: K Ryan for K McKinley (26 mins), J Fallon (0-3, 1 free) for M Ennis (half-time), T Cleary for A Mangan (60 mins).
GALWAY: A Keane; M Comer, G Fahy, T Meehan; M Colleran, K Fitzgerald, R Fahy; K Walsh, J Bergin (0-2), P Clancy (1-0), J Fallon (0-6), M Clancy (1-1); D Savage (0-1), K Comer, T Joyce (1-0). Subs: S Ó Domnhnaill for K Comer (55 mins), J Donnellan (0-2, frees) for T Joyce (55 mins).
Referee: B Gorman (Armagh).
