James Horan's side held the students to just one second half point, with Cork native Fiachra O Deasmhunaigh on target six minutes into the half.

Horan emptied the bench in the third quarter with Cillian O'Connor, Seamus O'Shea, Eoghan Reilly, Colm Boyle and Evan Regan all introduced.

Andy Moran made his first start for Mayo since suffering a broken bone in his foot on International Rules duty for Ireland last year.

He put in a strong performance under the McHale Park floodlights, scoring three points in an opening half during which Mayo looked impressive.

NUI Galway drew first blood thanks to a fifth minute point from Leitrim's Shane Moran, but once Alan Freeman fired over his second pointed free in the 12th minute, the hosts never trailed.

It was three in-a-row from Freeman, following a Conor Mortimer pass, before Castlebar native Neil Douglas left the scoreline at 0-3 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.

But Mayo then entered cruise control and rattled off four points in a seven-minute spell.

Freeman had a hand in Mayo's fourth score, turning provider to feed Moran who restored a two-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Moran made it 0-5 to 0-2 with a score from the resulting kickout, before it was Conor Mortimer's turn to shine. Mortimer, who finished as top scorer with five points, slotted over the next two scores to put five between the sides in the 24th minute.

O Deasmhunaigh and Moran traded points at the end of the half - the hosts leading by 0-8 to 0-3 at the interval and all of their scores coming from their full-forward line.

NUI Galway opened with the first point of the second half through O Deasmhunaigh, but the students failed to build on this despite the likes of Aidan O'Shea and Andy Moran being substituted for Mayo.

Points from Mortimer, Barry Moran, Kevin McLoughlin and two further Mortimer scores pushed Mayo 0-13 to 0-4 ahead in the 50th minute.

The students had the Mayo defence under some pressure late on, with goalkeeper David Clarke forced to make a point blank save after a quickly-taken free.

But Mayo always held that extra edge, with a Lee Keegan point sealing a fine performance by the hosts and a trip to New York to face the Exiles in October.

Kevin McLoughlin received the man-of-the-match award afterwards, while victorious captain Alan Dillon accepted the cup.

Scorers - Mayo: Conor Mortimer 0-5 (0-3f), Alan Freeman (0-2f); Andy Moran 0-3 each, Kevin McLoughlin, Barry Moran, Lee Keegan 0-1 each

NUI Galway: Fiachra O Deasmhunaigh 0-2, Shane Moran, Neil Douglas 0-1 each