It was all too easy for Galway as they crushed Cavan by 2-16 to 1-9 in the Cadbury All-Ireland U21 FC decider at sunny Croke Park.

Man of the Match Mark Hehir scored seven points for the runaway winners, who were served by a series of stellar performances all over the pitch on the biggest day of their careers thus far.

After a slow start, Galway took control of the first half to lead by eleven points at the interval, 2-10 to 0-5, with the goals coming from Patrick Sweeney and Eric Monaghan, while Hehir arrowed over five points.

The Breffni County got off to a fantastic start when Niall Smith ran half the length of the field unchallenged to fist the ball over the bar at the Hill 15 end inside 20 seconds. But wing back Josh Moore replied immediately with an excellent point from distance.

Cavan custodian Alan O'Mara dealt capably with the next Galway attack and Barry Reilly had the Ulster champions back in front when he clipped over a fabulous point off his left boot. But captain Gearoid McKiernan's effort to stretch the gap tailed narrowly wide. 0-2 to 0-1 in Cavan's favour after five minutes.

When Packie Leddy fouled Aonghus Moore, the Cavan defence was caught sleeping by a quick free to Moore, who popped over his second point to level the scores again. Midfielder Fergal Flanagan had Cavan in front for the third time but the Tribe replied quickly again, this time via Danny Cummins.

Good work from Eric Monaghan and Patrick Sweeney earned the Connacht champions a close-range free, resulting in a yellow card for wing back Kevin Meehan and a pointed free from Mark Hehir, which saw the men in maroon take the lead for the first time: 0-4 to 0-3 with 14 minutes played.

Cummins added his second point moments later and there were two between the sides for the first time. In the 15th minute Galway bagged a goal after an unbelievable scramble. Midfielder Tomas Flynn saw his initial shot deflected onto the crossbar by Cavan keeper O'Mara; when Cummins kept the ball in play, Flynn again hit the bar; but full forward Sweeney was on hand to palm the loose ball across the line, despite the best efforts of O'Mara.

Hehir (free) and Cummins added points and daylight had appeared between the teams by the time Hehir popped over his first point from open play on 19 minutes: 1-8 to 0-3. Cavan were unlucky when McKiernan again missed the target but they were left scratching their heads as Monaghan had time to retrieve the ball after dropping it and fired a second Galway goal to the net in the 21st minute, leaving eleven points between the teams.

In contrast, when Leddy lost control of the ball at the other end, there were Galway defenders all around him and the chance was gone. Hehir floated over a ninth Galway point, his second from play: 2-9 to 0-3. Niall Murray dropped a weak shot into the arms of the Galway goalkeeper Maurice Breathnach. Reilly tapped over a free - Cavan's first score in 18 minutes.

The Breffni boys were almost in for a goal after great direct play from Smith but full forward Niall McDermott was crowded out. On the stroke of the half-hour, McDermott demonstrated great strength and perseverance to strike a fine point from play, closing the gap to ten points.

But the unerring Hehir dropped over a long-range free in the first minute of added time at the end of the first half, leaving eleven in it at the short whistle. Cavan had led by a point approaching the ten-minute mark and were just a point adrift coming up to the end of the first quarter, but Alan Mulholland's charges completely bossed the second quarter to end the match as a contest.

Michael Boyle strolled through to increase the gap within a minute of the restart and substitute Adrian Murphy came close to adding another but ran out of space. Cavan centre forward Niall Murray took a great point on 32 minutes after more great work from Smith.

Cavan were handed a possible lifeline in the 34th minute when Gary Sweeney was adjudged to have fouled McDermott, who'd made a great catch - penalty! But Breathnach saved Reilly's kick with ease before McKiernan sent a shot wide and corner forward Jack Brady failed to take advantage of another brief Cavan goal chance.

Boyle drilled over a free from the ground from distance to make it treble scores, 2-12 to 0-6, with eight minutes played in the second half.

Substitute Tierney and McDermott pulled back points for the losers but Cummins slotted over a super Galway point at the start of the final quarter. Brady tapped over a free from his hands as Cavan kept trying hard.

As the game petered out and lost its shape completely, Hehir tapped over another free from close range and Conor Doherty followed up with a point from play on 57 minutes.

Cavan manager Terry Hyland made his fifth substitution, introducing Conor McCleary, and the No.17 had the ball in the net within seconds, having been placed brilliantly by McDermott. Hehir claimed his seventh point - this one from play - in injury time

Galway: M Breathnach; G Sweeney, C Forde, A Tierney; J Moore (0-2), J Duane, T Fahy; F Ó Curraoin, T Flynn; M Boyle (0-2), M Hehir (0-7), C Doherty (0-1); D Cummins (0-4), P Sweeney (1-0), E Monaghan (1-0). Subs: A Murphy, M Farragher, B Flaherty, C Halloran, C Silke

Cavan: A O'Mara; M Leddy, O Minagh, D Tighe; K Meehan, D Barkey, M Brady; G McKiernan, M Leddy (0-1); N Smith (0-1), N Murray (0-1), B Reilly (0-2); J Brady (0-1), N McDermott (0-2), P Leddy. Subs: P King, T Mooney, K Tierney (0-1), N McKiernan, C McCleary (1-0).

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