Buoyed by their Connacht final win over Mayo, they made further improvement here against a Derry side that were hampered badly by the loss of Gareth McKinless to a red card in the 20th minute.
McKinless can have no complaints as it was a clear stamp on Damien Comer’s lower leg after he had fouled the Galway full-forward, pushing him to the ground.
Comer left the field for treatment but soon returned. He didn’t, however, have the same influence as the last day and by the 46th minute he was off with what looked like another hamstring injury.
Before an attendance of 7,602 Galway were still able to manage the game well, with two second-half goals giving them a solid cushion.
Sean Kelly got the first on 42 minutes, connecting from a rebound after Derry defender Diarmuid Baker had blocked his initial effort on the line for a 1-9 to 0-8 lead.
Derry had hit back after half-time with two points to restore parity at 0-8 each. But the loss of McKinless ultimately cost them dearly as they were unable to sustain that high octane game they have become accustomed to and were exposed as they chased the game.
Derry did close the gap to three points in the second half when Lachlann Murray scored his third point in the 61st minute to make it 1-13 to 0-13.
Then Shane McGuigan caught a delivery from Ciaran McFaul but shot straight at Connor Gleeson, who parried. Galway broke hard and with the Derry defence pushed up, Shane Walsh popped a ball over the top to Cein Darcy who combined with Daniel O’Flaherty, to palm a goal for a six-point lead.
Derry were already without the half-back line that started their last championship game against Donegal four weeks ago with Conor Doherty and Eoin McEvoy out injured, where they joined Padraig McGrogan, already ruled out for the season.
It necessitated structural change with Brendan Rogers and Ciaran McFaul dropping to the half-back line. It bent Derry too much out of shape and with Niall Loughlin and Cormac Murphy also unavailable through injury, their resources were really stretched.
Padraic Joyce has established a good record against Ulster teams in his five years as Galway manager with 12 league and championship wins and a draw from 16 games before today.
Derry were ahead by 0-4 to 0-3 by the 13th minute but Galway were able to make their extra manpower count in the second quarter, pushing 0-8 to 0-5 ahead as Paul Conroy clipped over two points and Rob Finnerty continued his fine championship.
Derry were creating chances but their conversion rate was poor, with six points from 16 shots as five dropped short.
Derry had paid the price for a systems failure against Donegal, when their goalkeeper Odhrán Lynch was caught upfield as Donegal hit them off kick-outs but Lynch still pushed forward here, though not with the same adventure.
Goal opportunities were scarce in that first-half, with Finnerty perhaps having the best opening when Johnny Heaney put him in behind but the ball didn’t go to hand.
Conroy had a fine game at midfield, finishing with three points and getting a block late on Derry substitute Shea Downey.
With an extra player, the conditions were always favourable for John Daly to thrive and he got forward for two points while Walsh also came into his own as Galway got on top.
The game got more fractious near the end, as Derry frustrations at a second successive defeat surfaced.
They now have Armagh at home while Galway will travel to Mullingar with confidence in two weeks’ time that they can put themselves in a position to top the group this time.
Scorers – Galway: R Finnerty 0-4 (2fs), S Kelly, C Darcy 1-0 each, P Conroy 0-3, J Daly, S Walsh 0-2 each, M Tierney, J Heaney L Ó Conghaile 0-1 each. Derry: S McGuigan 0-4 (2fs), L Murray 0-3, C McFaul 0-2, P Cassidy, C Glass, B Rogers, E Bradley, D Gilmore, E Doherty 0-1 each.
Galway: C Gleeson; S Fitzgerald, J McGrath, J Glynn; D McHugh, L Silke, J Daly; P Conroy, J Maher; J Heaney, M Tierney, S Kelly; R Finnerty, D Comer, S Walsh. Subs: C Darcy for Comer inj (46), C McDaid for Maher (58), D O’Flaherty for Kelly (62), C O Curraoin for Finnerty inj (64), L Ó Conghaile for Heaney (67).
Derry: O Lynch; C McCluskey, C McKaigue, D Baker; B Rogers, G McKinless, C McFaul; C Glass, E Bradley; E Doherty, D Cassidy, P Cassidy; N Toner, S McGuigan, L Murray. Subs: D Gilmore for D Cassidy (h-t), E Mulholland for Toner (48), C McMonagle for Murray (68), S Downey for McFaul (70).
Referee: B Cawley (KIldare).
