Galway laid down a marker with a comfortable 1-22 to 2-11 victory over Kilkenny in Salthill.

The reigning provincial and All-Ireland champions dominated this one-sided round-robin encounter, restricting their opponents to just 1-2 from open play and subjecting Brian Cody to one of the heaviest championship defeats of his illustrious managerial career.

Playing into the wind, the hosts bossed proceedings after the restart, with Joe Canning (1-12) arrowing over a succession of superb points, while Walter Walsh chipped in at the death with a consolation goal - the Noresiders' only second-half score from play. Prior to that, six TJ Reid frees was the sum total of their second-half return.

In the first-ever Leinster championship game played in Galway, the home side led by 1-9 to 1-5 at the interval, Canning and Reid (1-9) dispatching penalties at either end.

Conor Cooney pointed four times for Micheal Donoghue's charges, who remain on course for a Leinster final appearance with a 100% record from their two outings to date. Next up for them is Wexford, while the Cats - already guaranteed at least an All-Ireland quarter-final play-off after their victories over the Dubs and Offaly - in turn face a crucial Round Five clash with the Model County on Saturday week, which will probably decide who joins the Tribesmen in this year's Leinster final.

Galway - J Skehill; A Harte, Daithi Burke, A Tuohy; P Mannion, G McInerney, J Hanbury; J Coen, David Burke (0-1); J Cooney, J Canning (1-12, 1-0pen, 7f, 0-1'65), C Mannion (0-2); B Concannon (0-1), C Cooney (0-4), C Whelan. Subs: J Glynn for B Concannon, J Flynn (0-1) for J Cooney, N Burke (0-1) for C Mannion, S Loftus for J Canning, P Killeen for P Mannion.

Kilkenny - E Murphy; E Morrissey, P Walsh, P Deegan; C Delaney, C Buckley, P Murphy; C Fogarty, J Maher; M Keoghan, TJ Reid (1-9, 1-0pen, 0-8f, 0-1'65), L Blanchfield; J Donnelly, W Walsh (1-1), L Scanlon (0-1). Subs: C Fennelly for J Donnelly, J Holden for E Morrissey, R Leahy for M Keoghan, B Sheehan for L Blanchfield.

Referee - F Horgan.

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