Galway began their Allianz league campaign with an impressive 2-13 to 1-12 home victory over a disappointing Meath side in Pearse Stadium, Salthill.

Galway had been well beaten by Roscommon last weekend in the FBD Connacht league final but emerged a revitalised outfit to dispatch of their Leinster opponents with ease.

Shane Walsh and Danny Cummins both scored goals either side of half time before Jamie Queeney restored some respectability to the scoreline with a late goal for the Royals.

Roscommon though couldn't follow up on that pre-season success and they were held to a draw by a battling Cavan side. A Cathal Cregg goal had given Roscommon the impetus but Cavan battled back into the game and could have actually gone on to take the two points in the finals minutes - yet it finished Roscommon 1-11 Cavan 0-14.

Down stunned Kildare with two late goals in Newbridge to turn their league encounter on it's head and earn them a smash-and-grab 3-13 to 1-15 victory.

The goals came in the space of one minute; the first from substitute Arthur McConville before Donal O’Hare pounced to seal the game.

Meanwhile Westmeath had a 1-12 to 0-10 win over Laois with James Dolan bagging the crucial score for the improving Lakesiders.

In Division three Armagh snatched victory against Tipperary thanks to a last minute point by Jamie Clarke. In fact the Crossmaglen attacker had only just equalised the game with a free before he provided the game-winning score - it finished 2-8 to 0-13.

Playing at home in Newcastlewest Limerick completed a fantastic turnaround victory to defeat Sligo 0-14 to 1-09, while Clare continued to reflect their improvement-of-late with a 1-16 to 0-5 win against Wexford.

In Division four Offaly overcame London in a stale encounter, 1-2 to 0-9, while both Leitrim and Longford (0-15 to 1-12), and Antrim and Carlow (1-12 to 0-15) had to be content with sharing the spoils on the first Sunday of league action in 2015.