Galway began brightly and had seven players on the scoresheet by half-time. Midfielder Eddie Hoare and attacking ace Sean Armstrong stood out as the Tribesmen turned around with a 0-10 to 0-09 lead.

But new Monaghan boss Eamonn McEneaney must have been pleased with his players' second half display. They took control with Finlay, Dick Clerkin and Conor McManus coming to the fore, and substitute Conor Galligan was particularly effective at half-back.

This was a hugely encouraging result for McEneaney who currently has more than ten players on the injury list, including the Freeman brothers, Tommy and Damien, Vinny Corey, JP Mone and Eoin Lennon.

Corofin's Kieran McGrath made his league bow in a Galway team that was missing the likes of Padraic Joyce, Niall Coleman, Michael Meehan and Fiachra Breathnach.

McGrath's defensive colleague Gary O'Donnell took a pass from Armstrong and collected the opening point for Galway in the third minute. Hoare, who was returned from injury, went on a run before adding the second as new manager Tomas O Flatharta looked on.

Full-forward Finlay converted a free from the right for Monaghan's sixth-minute opener, but points from Cormac Bane and Matthew Clancy shot the visitors into a 0-04 to 0-01 lead. It could have been worse for Monaghan whose new goalkeeper Mark Keogh came to their resue when blocking an effort from Armstrong.

Galway stopper Adrian Faherty was also on his toes to deny Conor McManus in the 20th minute. By that stage, Monaghan had closed the gap with McManus and fellow corner forward Christopher McGuinness kicking scores.

Coming up to half-time, the scores were drying up for Galway. Hoare added a second point from play, but the hosts reeled off the closing three points through McManus (0-02) and Finlay.

The Farney men tightened up in defence and used their physicality to begin to boss the game as the second half got underway. After Armstrong kicked Galway's 11th point, Dick Clerkin lofted the ball in for Finlay to point, the skipper then pointed a free and Clerkin added another from play.

Suddenly, it was all Monaghan. Galway had to wait 25 minutes between Armstrong's opener and their second score of the half, which also came from the Salthill-Knocknacarra clubman.

During that time, McEneaney's charges strung together eight unanswered points. Finlay kicked four in the second period and was hugely influential in creating scoring chances for his team-mates. Clerkin also rasped over two long range efforts and tracked back to help out in defence.

Galway lost their shape but rallied in the closing stages with Armstrong, Bane and substitute Danny Cummins splitting the posts, but late scores from Neil McAdam, McGuinness and Mark Downey put the result beyond doubt.