Galway were full value for their 2-13 to 1-12 win over Meath at sunny Pearse Stadium.
The hosts tore out of the blocks to lead by seven points early on but - in typical Meath fashion - Mick O'Dowd's men battled to the bitter end. However, this time they had left themselves with too much to do.
The Tribesmen got off to a great start and Danny Cummins' untidy goal helped them roar into a commanding 1-5 to 0-1 lead after 15 minutes. But the Royals recovered somewhat before the break and were just four adrift at the short whistle, 1-6 to 0-5.
Mickey Newman (free) had opened the scoring for the visitors inside the opening minute but Paul Varley, Eddie Hoare (2) and Cummins (2) clipped over Galway's first five points of the day before Cummins scrambled the ball to the net.
A second Newman free on 24 minutes represented Meath's second score of the game and goalkeeper Paddy O'Rourke added a '45' before Bryan Menton supplied their first point from play seven minutes from the break.
Another Newman free reduced the arrears to just three points but Adrian Varley closed the first-half scoring with Galway's first score in 23 minutes.
Shane Walsh and Cummins pointed for the Tribesmen upon the restart and the winners again moved seven points ahead. A couple of good O'Rourke frees kept Meath in it and a brace of Stephen Bray points from play had the Leinster county right back in the mix after 54 minutes, 1-9 to 0-9.
Newman's goal effort blazed over the bar and Meath's chance was gone as the hosts followed up three quickfire points with a Walsh bullet to the net. Jamie Queeney's late major for Meath was a mere consolation as Kevin Walsh's charges hit the ground running in the 2015 national football league.
Galway - B O'Donoghue; D O'Neill, C Forde, C Sweeney; P Varley (0-2), G Bradshaw, G O'Donnell; F O Curraoin (0-1), T Flynn; S Denvir (0-1), S Walsh (1-3, 0-1f), E Tierney; D Cummins (1-3), E Hoare (0-2, 1f), A Varley (0-1). Subs: P Sweeney for A Varley, M Martin for E Hoare, C Mulryan for D Cummins, D Kyne for P Varley (BC).
Meath - P O'Rourke (0-3, 2f, 1'45); D Tobin, C McGill, M Burke; P Harnan, D Keogan, B Menton (0-1); H Rooney, A Flanagan; G Reilly (0-1), S Bray (0-2), A Tormey; B McMahon, M Newman (0-5, 4f), J Wallace. Subs: D Carroll for B McMahon, J Queeney (1-0) for A Tormey (BC), D Dalton for P Harnan, S Tobin for J Wallace, C McConnell for D Tobin.
Referee - P O'Sullivan.
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