Galway 2-22 Laois 2-11: Laois fans in a paltry crowd of 2,500 at O'Moore Park on Saturday night were treated to a false dawn as Paudie Butler's men failed to build on a two-goal salvo either side of half-time.
Goals from Liam Tynan, in first-half stoppage-time, and Damien Culleton, just 24 seconds after the restart, left them with just a three-point deficit to haul back and a strong wind at their backs. But while the sides twice exchanged points, Galway opened their shoulders and, in a 16-minute spell, provided the next seven scores.
Four of them came from the unerring Ger Farragher, who finished with 1-11, and the Laois challenge wilted as they scored just two points from James Young in the closing 24 minutes, despite the wind advantage.
Galway should have been out of sight by the break without ever hitting top gear, with goals from a Farragher free after 19 minutes and full forward Kevin Hayes, on his debut, eight minutes later helping them to a 2-10 to 1-7 interval lead.
Hayes' cousin Damien was denied a goal in a one-on-one situation after 12 minutes when Patrick Mullaney produced a brave save, but there was not enough of that sort of heroics for Laois to provide a shock.
Galway boss Conor Hayes will be just delighted to get this opener out of the way and will look to gel his side further when they meet Antrim at Pearse Stadium on Saturday week.
GALWAY: L Donoghue; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, C Coen; G Mahon, D Hardiman, O Canning; T Og Regan (0-5, three frees); R Murray (0-3), D Forde, D Tierney (0-1); D Hayes, K Hayes (1-1), G Farragher (1-11, 1-10 from frees). Subs: F Healy for Collins (48 mins), N Healy (0-1) for Forde (52 mins), F Moore for Mahon (58 mins), D Donoghue for D Hayes (69 mins).
LAOIS: P Mullaney; B Campion, P Cuddy, M McEvoy; J Fitzpatrick, P Mahon, S Dwyer; J Young (0-6, four frees, one 65), J Walsh (0-1); C Coonan, J Rowney, C Healy (0-1); T Fitzgerald (0-2), L Tynan (1-1), D Culleton (1-0). Subs: P Russell for Campion (20 mins), E Meagher for Rowney (52 mins), R Jones for Coonan (58 mins), C Brophy for Russell (62 mins), J Walsh for Mahon (65 mins).
Referee: M Wadding (Waterford).
