Galway weathered a tough storm in Salthill but came out on top to overcome Tyrone, in their first Group Stage clash this evening.

Last year's beaten finalists continued their fine form to the season, as Tyrone finished with 14 men, Galway showed their wealth and experience to answer the questions Tyrone asked all game.

Frank Burn’s red card just 19 minutes in certainly changed the dynamic of the tie, but Nialll Morgan saw a black card later in the first half, some poor discipline from them certainly cost them.

The start was tight, we waited seven minutes for the first score with Shane Walsh on hand, Darren McCurry replied quickly for Tyrone as the game started to get even more nip and tuck. Walsh and Johnny Heaney made it a two point game on the 10 minute mark, but points from Darragh Canavan and Cormac Quinn levelled the tie after 13 elapsed.

Back came Galway through Cillian McDaid and Walsh to grab scores, Burns red card soon followed, from here it looked like Galway would pull away and leave Tyrone dead and buried, Paul Conory fired over before Niall Morgan was black carded, soon after Peter Cooke pointed and they were ahead 0-7 to 0-3., but McCurry pointed an added time free to make it three at the break.

Matthew Donnelly got Tyrone off to a solid start in the second half with a score two minutes in, but Cooke soon cancelled it out. McCurry and Canavan left a point between them after 47 minutes, despite the man down, Tyrone were still in the fight.

Walsh and Matthew Tierney restored a three point cushion for Galway, but the relentless nature of Tyrone was on show, Connor Meyler’s point in the 56th minute making it a two point game once more, 0-11 to 0-09.

Galway still had plenty in the tank as we approached the hour mark, McDaid and Robert Finnerty added points, their lead four points and to them certainly with ten to go, it looked like a healthy cushion.

Peter Harte and McCurry made it a nervy end as they cut the gap back to two, but Walsh was in fine form, he kicked two late scores to finish on a tally of 0-6, either side of a terrific Damien Comer point, a three point cushion enough to seal a dramatic win in dire conditions out west.