Galway 1-16
DCU 0-17
John Fallon reports from Duggan Park in Ballinasloe
JOE CANNING SHOT 1-5 as Galway survived playing half the match with 14 men to give new manager Micheál Donoghue a winning start.
Allstar David Burke was sent off when he picked up a second yellow card just before the break in this Walsh Cup tie.
Five other players were booked during a lively opening, with Canning’s goal after 16 minutes putting them in the driving seat.
He also landed two sideline cuts in front of a big crowd at the Ballinasloe venue for them to lead by 1-6 to 0-4 at the break.
Burke’s younger brother Eanna came on to make a telling impact with four points from play and another sub, Aidan Harte chipped in with two points for the Walsh Cup holders.
Galway had five starters from last year’s the All-Ireland final but DCU came back in the second half after Galway led by double scores, 1-7 to 0-5, going into the final quarter.
Seán Gray and Danny Sutcliffe led the comeback and they managed to get the gap down to two points. But Galway finished strongly to wrap up a winning start for Donoghue.
Scorers for Galway: J Canning 1-5 (0-2 sidelines, 0-1f), E Burke 0-4, A Harte 0-2, P Brehony, D Burke, A Smith, J Flynn, G McInerney 0-1 each.
Scorers for DCU: S Gray 0-9 (0-8f), D Sutcliffe 0-3, N O’Connor 0-2, D Staunton, P Foley, K Fitzgerald 0-1 each.
Galway
1. James Skehill (Cappataggle)
2. Johnny Coen (Loughrea)
3. Ronan Burke (Turloughmore)
4. Colm Flynn (Tommie Larkins)
5. Sean Morrissey (Liam Mellows)
6. Greg Lally (Gort)
7. David Collins (Liam Mellows)
8. Padraig Brehony (Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry)
9. David Burke (St Thomas’)
10. Andy Smith (Portumna)
11. Jason Flynn (Tommie Larkins)
12. Gearoid McInerney (Oranmore-Maree)
13. Richie Cummins (Gort)
14. Joe Canning (Portumna)
15. Shane Moloney (Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry)
Subs
19. Aidan Harte (Gort) for Flynn (41)
25. Brian Molloy (Kilnadeema/Leitrim) for Cummins (47)
21. Eanna Burke (St Thomas’) for Moloney (47)
24. Niall Burke (Oranmore-Maree) for McInerney (58)
23. Adrian Tuohy (Beagh) for Lally (69)
DCU
1. Cormac Ryan (Dublin)
2. Mick Heaney (Westmeath)
30. Eoghan O’Donnell (Dublin)
4. Paul O’Dea (Dublin)
5. Killian Fitzgerald (Waterford)
6. Paudie Foley (Wexford)
19. Tony French (Wexford)
7. Kevin O’Flynn (Dublin)
9. Dan Staunton (Wicklow)
10. Danny Sutcliffe (Dublin)
11. Conor Joyce (Kilkenny)
20. Mick Daly (Westmeath)
13. Sean Gray (Dublin)
14. Cathal Scally (Westmeath)
15. Daire Barden (Wexford)
Subs
26. Ciaran McEvoy (Laois) for Daly (42)
24. Niall O’Connor (Dublin) for Barden (53)
17. Lee Richardson (Dublin) for French (61)
Referee: J McGrath (Westmeath).