Galway 2 - 10 Dublin 1- 7
Whoever invented the term global "warming" obviously never stood on the line in O'Toole Park on this last day of March 2013.
An icy wind must have made it very difficult for players to keep any feeling in their hands. Naturally mistakes were made but from a Dublin perspective, the bulk of these areas rested with the girls in blue.
Dublin won the toss and gambled by playing into the breeze. But after 11 minutes the visitors led by 1-4 to nil. Rebecca Hennelly (0-3), Niamh Kilkenny (0-1) and a goal after 6 minutes from Ailish O'Reilly.
The home side was looking a bit jaded and the handling was less than perfect, clearances were misplaced and when a more direct approach was called for the options were often to try and play a short ball. Galway without playing particularly brilliantly clinically lapped up these chances.
Galway decided to isolate Anne Marie Hayes at full-forward and with the ball played into space, she cleverly exploited these opportunities.
Matters could have been worse only for a superb save by Kate Whyte from Ailish O'Reilly in the 10th minute and Catriona Power did superbly a minute later to intercept a goal creating pass.
Dublin had difficulty making the metres but in the 13th minute Alison Maguire pointed to claim the first of five points in the opening half. However nearly each time Dublin scored, Galway replied with points by Rebecca Hennelly and Niamh Kilkenny.
Alison Maguire kept Dublin in touch with a series of pointed frees and by half-time Galway's lead of 1-8 to 0-5 wasn't insurmountable.
Dublin needed to score first but a splendid piece of individual skill from Anne Marie Hayes saw her flick a high ball to the net in the 40th minute.
Another Alison Maguire free gave Dublin a lift and with Laura Twomey and Danielle Smith doing well around the middle there was still hope. But the Galway backs were strong especially Sinead Cahalan, Siobhan Coen and Therese Manton in the half line.
Dublin's first score from play didn't arrive until the 45th minute - a fine point from the industrious Aoife Kelly. The one position where Dublin looked liked drawing a dividend was at full forward where Sarah Ryan was having the better of her duel with Lorraine Ryan. But the supply was intermittent. Eventually she did manage to find the net from a good delivery by Laura Twomey in the 50th minute.
But Dublin could not build on that score although a great delivery by Emma Whyte might well have yielded a goal for Sarah Ryan if the first touch had been on target.
Galway finished with a point from Niamh McGrath for their first win of the league. Claire Rigney entered the fray to make her senior debut and was not out of her depth.
Dublin Scorers: Alison Maguire (0-6f), Sarah Ryan (1-0), Aoife Kelly (0-1)
Galway Scorers: Rebecca Hennelly (0-6, 5f), Ailish O'Reilly (1-0), Niamh Kilkenny (0-2), Niamh McGrath (0-1), Emer Haverty (0-1).