Leading by 3-4 to 0-2 after 21 minutes, Galway took their foot off the pedal and allowed Laois to put together a couple of short-lived revivals, but the end could not come quick enough for the losers.
Galway corner-forward Alan Kerins scored 4-2 from play, Richie Murray got a brace and yet Laois goalkeeper and skipper Patrick Mullaney was one of their best players. He produced a string of excellent stops during the opening half and the rout would have been even more embarrassing were it not for his display. Aside from centre-forward James Young and substitute Mark Rooney, Laois looked like a side who would struggle in the Christy Ring Cup.
Galway, showing all the signs of a team that has not hurled together since mid-March, scored at will, yet Conor Hayes and his selectors will realise a big step-up will be needed if they are to win in Waterford in two weeks’ time.
Galway led by 3-8 to 0-6 at the break, with five of the forwards off the mark by the 12th minute. Murray got two of the goals, with Kerins finishing a rebound after Mullaney denied Murray his hat-trick.
Laois fought back after the restart with Young clipping over a couple of points, while Joe Fitzpatrick landed one from 50 yards to reduce the deficit.
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Galway responded with Keary and Forde setting up Damian Hayes for his opening score of the match after 41 minutes.
Laois were given hope four minutes later when Mark Rooney crashed home a superb goal into the top right corner to make it 3-9 to 1-9.
However, Galway stepped up the ante. Keary added a point, Kerins soloed through for his second goal and then Hayes landed a point from an acute angle to make it 4-11 to 1-9 after 49 minutes.
Kerins completed his hat-trick four minutes later after being set up by Forde, whose strong run through the heart of the Laois defence set up Kerins.
Rooney reduced the deficit for Laois when he got his second goal of the game after 55 minutes when he connected with a long delivery from John Walsh.
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But the floodgates opened once more at the other end as Kerins got his fourth goal after 64 minutes before Damian Hayes added a seventh a minute later to complete a 20 points win.
STAR MAN: Alan Kerins (Galway)
Galway: L Donoghue; D Joyce, T Og Regan, O Canning; D Hardiman, S Kavanagh, MJ Quinn (G Mahon, 52 mins); F Healy (0-3), D Collins (E Lynch, 66 mins); G Farragher (0-4, one free, one 65), D Forde (0-1), A Keary (0-2); A Kerins (4-2, K Burke, 66 mins, 0-1), R Murray (2-1, C Connolly, 66 mins, 0-2), D Hayes (1-2).
Laois: P Mullaney; B Campion, P Cuddy, M McEvoy; J Delaney, J Walsh, J Hyland; J Fitzpatrick (0-2, one lineball), J Phelan (0-1); J Brophy (W Hyland, 53 mins), J Young (0-8, five frees), C Healy; Z Keenan (0-1, free, D Culleton, 59 mins), T Fitzgerald, J Hooban (M Rooney, 31 mins, 2-1)).
Referee: B White (Tipperary).
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Attendance: 1,500