Meehan was in the right place at the right time to fist home the game's only goal in Salthill, reacting well to a Michael Martin effort from the right that bounced back off the crossbar.

That came in the 38th minute as the Tribesmen, whose early advantage was cut back to 0-8 to 0-4 by the break, held off a youthful Derry side.

Midfielder PJ McCloskey and target man Eoin Bradley scored 0-3 apiece for the Oak Leafers, but deadly duo Meehan (1-5) and Martin (0-3) ensured that Galway finished on top.

In heavy underfoot conditions, the hosts' midfield tandem of Niall Coleman and Fiontan O'Curraoin provided a platform of possession from which Galway built their early lead.

McCloskey got Derry off the mark with a terrific 13th minute point, but the home side looked in rude health as Sean Armstrong, Martin (0-3), Meehan and Danny Cummins hammered over scores to give them a 0-6 to 0-1 lead.

The intensity increased as Derry strung together a couple of clever attacking moves, the net result being a second McCloskey score and Ryan Bell also added his name to the scoresheet.

But the Ulster outfit had a let-off in the 28th minute when wing forward Sean Denvir burst through the middle of the Derry rearguard and cracked a shot off the crossbar.

The Derry goal survived on that particular occasion and the visitors regrouped for James Kielt, one of their better forwards on the day, to make it a two-point game.

Back came Galway through former All-Star Meehan. The Caltra ace scored from play before popping over a free which widened the margin to four points at the interval.

Meehan's influence on proceedings increased with his opportunist goal three minutes into the second half. But they could not shake Derry off their tails as they went on a blistering scoring run - landing six of the next seven points.

Bradley and the strong-running McCloskey came to the fore during that period, with white flags coming from Barry McGoldrick, Bradley, Kielt and Enda Lynn. Suddenly, there was just the minimum between the sides.

However, Alan Mulholland's charges steadied the ship with the Galway bench having a real impact at just the right time.

Four of their substitutes - Gary O'Donnell, Eoin Concannon, Paul Conroy and Mark Hehir - all landed points as they wrestled back control. Closing points from man-of-the-match Meehan and Hehir made certain of the result.

Scorers: Galway: M Meehan 1-5 (0-2f), M Martin 0-3, S Armstrong 0-2, D Cummins, G O'Donnell, M Hehir, E Concannon, P Conroy 0-1 each

Derry: PJ McCloskey, E Bradley (0-3f) 0-3 each, J Kielt, E Lynn, R Bell (0-1f) 0-2 each, Patsy Bradley, B McGoldrick, R Wilkinson 0-1 each

GALWAY: M Breathnach; J Moore, F Hanley, J Duane; C Sweeney, G Sice, G Sweeney; N Coleman, F O'Curraoin; J O'Brien, M Martin, S Denvir; S Armstrong, M Meehan, D Cummins.

Subs used: E Concannon for O'Brien (45 mins), P Conroy for Denvir (51), G O'Donnell for C Sweeney (53), M Hehir for Martin (64).

DERRY: E McNicholl; R Ferris, D McBride, C McWilliams; C McKaigue, M Lynch, SL McGoldrick; Patsy Bradley, PJ McCloskey; E Lynn, R Bell, D Heavron; C Devlin, E Bradley, J Kielt.

Subs used: G O'Kane for McWilliams (29 mins), B McGoldrick for P Bradley (43), R Wilkinson for Devlin (55), E McGuckin for Heavron (60).

Referee: Michael Duffy (Sligo).