After the restart Galway dominated. Finnerty and Shane Walsh two pointers had them 2-12 to 0-13 prior to a 50th minute Kirwan score which left four between the teams.
Then Galway reeled off 1-6 without reply. Finnerty supplied the goal in the 54th minute following smart approach work by Walsh and Conroy.
Comer’s subsequent point drew an approving roar from the locals, while Finnerty continued to torment the Lilywhites.
Lively Kildare substitute Jack Robinson terminated a 14 minute search for a Kildare score, but Galway closed out the deal with the minimum of fuss.
Scorers for Galway: Rob Finnerty 1-9, Shane Walsh 0-6 (1 2pt, 1 2ptf, 1f), Céin D’Arcy and Matthew Tierney 1-0 each, Cillian McDaid 0-2, John Maher, Paul Conroy, Damien Comer, and Shane McGrath 0-1 each.
Scorers for Kildare: Alex Beirne 0-5 (2 2pt, 1f), Darragh Kirwan (1 2pt) and Brian McLoughlin (1 2pt) 0-3 each, Jack Robinson 0-2, Colm Dalton, Darragh Swords, Kevin Feely, and Ben Loakman 0-1 each.
Galway: Connor Gleeson; Jack Glynn, Cian Hernon, Liam Silke; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Seán Kelly; Paul Conroy, John Maher; Céin D’Arcy, Ciarán Mulhearn, Cillian McDaid; Rob Finnerty, Matthew Tierney, Shane Walsh.
Subs: Damien Comer for Mulhearn (45), Seán Ó Maoilchiaráin for Hernon (55), Shane McGrath for Tierney (59), Shay McGlinchey for Conroy (62), Brian Cogger for McDaid (64).
Kildare: Eoin Sheehan; Ryan Burke, Mark Dempsey, Brian Byrne; James McGrath, Eoin Lawlor, Harry O’Neill; Kevin Feely, Brendan Gibbons; Ben Loakman, Colm Dalton, Brian McLoughlin; Alex Beirne, Darragh Kirwan, Eoin Cully.
Subs: James Harris for Lawlor (21), Darragh Swords for Cully (27), Jack Robinson for Loakman (51), Tommy Gill for McGrath (55), Sam Doran for O’Neill (66).
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).