Galway 1-27
Cork 1-21
A winning margin of six points didn't flatter Galway, who dominated in Pearse Stadium after Cork's early flourish.
A dominant half-back line and busy midfield kept the men in maroon on top for most of that first half, backed by the wind, and but for some wayward shooting they might have had more than six points to spare at the break.
Joe Canning showed some nice touches at full-forward, but it was the man alongside him, Davy Glennon, who tormented the Cork rearguard, helping himself to three points from play and linking well with the half-forwards outside him.
Cork could count themselves lucky with the first-half goal that kept Galway in their sights. On ten minutes a Cormac Murphy delivery was broken near the square by Patrick Horgan: Seamus Harnedy was on hand to collect and goal, but the St. Ita's man had to be substituted immediately afterwards through injury.
Niall Burke soon finished neatly past Anthony Nash, making 1-6 to 1-4 in favour of the home side.
Though Cork responded with points from Bill Cooper and Paudie O'Sullivan, Galway struck five on the bounce to take firm control, and though Cork answered through Patrick Horgan (two frees) and Alan Cadogan, Galway hit the last three points of the half, going in 1-15 to 1-9 ahead.
The visitors bounced back with three points in a row from Horgan on the resumption, two of them frees, before Canning chipped in with a Galway point. Cathal Mannion, Padraig Brehony and Conor Whelan hit three more points and Galway were seven up on the 45th minute: advantage restored.
Though Cork were able to find the range after that, primarily through Horgan, Galway were able to respond in kind, maintaining their lead at their ease.
It was a surprise that Cork were only five adrift going into the last ten minutes, though Galway's wastefulness in front of goal was at least partly responsible.
Late Whelan and Brehony points made it safe for Galway, with Canning providing the flourish with a closing brace.
Scorers for Galway: J. Canning (0-7 frees)(0-9); N. Burke (1-2); D. Glennon (0-4); D. Burke, C. Whelan (0-3 each); P. Brehony, C. Mannion (0-2 each); G. Lally (free), A. Harte (0-1 each).
Scorers for Cork: P. Horgan (0-5 frees)(0-8); S. Harnedy (1-0); P. O'Sullivan, B. Cooper (0-2 each); A. Cadogan, P. Cronin, L. McLoughlin, C. Murphy, A. Nash (free), C. McCarthy, L. O'Farrell, D. Cahalane and C. Lehane (0-1 each).
GALWAY: J. Skehill, J. Coen, J. Hanbury, P. Hoban, P. Mannion, G. Lally, A. Harte, A. Tuohy, D. Burke ( c), P. Brehony, C. Mannion, N. Burke, C. Whelan, J. Canning, D. Glennon.
Subs: D. Collins for Tuohy (HT); J. Flynn for Glennon (55); A. Smith for Harte and F. Moore for Hoban (66).
Cork: A. Nash, S. O'Neill, C. Joyce, S. McDonnell ( c), A. Walsh, W. Egan, D. Cahalane, C. Murphy, L. McLoughlin, B. Cooper, P. O'Sullivan, P. Cronin, A. Cadogan, S. Harnedy, P. Horgan.
Subs: D. Kearney for Murphy (48); C. Lehane for A. Cadogan (50); C. McCarthy for Cronin and B. Lawton for O'Sullivan (58).
Referee: B. Kelly (Westmeath).