Sligo’s minor championships got off to a fitful start and ultimately ended in defeat to a well drilled and physically strong Galway side at Markievicz Park on Friday evening last.

In  game that started in bright sunshine Sligo started well and made good use of the wind which was behind them in the first half but then saw the shape of the game change as dramatically as the weather at the start of the second half as Galway built a lead in monsoon conditions over the third quarter of the game which they then held through to the finish despite a resolute fight back from their hosts.

The game opened brightly for Sligo with Cian Carty point from a free in the first minute of the game.

Galway opened their account in response with a free from Charlie Cox free before Carty from a second free and Cian Gallagher from play after good work by Dara Moyston and Oran Harte and Gallagher which gave them a 3- 1 lead on four minutes.

Galway then had something of a purple patch with Cox, from a free, Jack Heneghan and Ciarán McDonagh put the visitors ahead for the first time on 12 minutes. It could have got worse for Sligo as midfielder Shay McGlinchey got through on goal but saw his shot saved brilliantly by Sligo keeper James Cronin.

Galway continued to press however and added further points from Heneghan and the imposing Seán Walsh at full forward to go three up while Cronin, was forced to make further saves from Walsh and Cox.

Having weathered the storm Sligo hit back in one swift move when an interception by Clyde Regan at the back set up an attack that ended up putting Aaron Lang in behind the Galway defence where he made no mistake.

Cronin produced another excellent save before Carty finished the half with a free from range to give the home side a one-point half time lead, 1-4 to 0-6.

In direct contrast to the first half the heavens opened as the second half threw in with the wind and rain in their faces, Sligo almost instantly found themselves on the back foot as a high point attempt came back off the upright and fell to  Galway’s Daniel Fitzmaurice to put his side back in from after only two minutes of the half.

The visitors added five points over the next fifteen minutes, from McGlinchey, Walsh, Heneghan – twice - and Stephen O'Grady, to just one in response from a Carty free for a foul on Michael Carroll to leave the score as 1-11 to 1-5 with 15 minutes to go,

Despite the gap, Sligo kept running and played their best football of the match in the last ten minutes.

Carty had two points, the first a beautiful point from play off the outside of the boot, the second a free for a foul on Eamonn Keane.

Although Galway restored their six-point advantage with two fine points from Mulhern, Sligo finished on the up and had the finals scores of the game with points from frees by Carroll free and Carty, who finished up with seven for the day, but unfortunately on a team that went down by four – 1-13 to 1-9.

Sligo; James Cronin; Clyde Regan, Eamon Keane, David Lyons; Liam Higgins, Oran Harte, James Lavin; Conor Walsh, Eoin Tuffy; Eamon O'Mahony, Cian Carty(0-7, 5f), Dara Moyston; Aaron Lang (1-0), Cian Gallagher (0-1), Michael Carroll (0-1, 1f)

Subs; Conor McDonagh for O'Mahony (38m), Josh McHugh for Moyston (45m), Oisín Devlin for Lang (56m), Marty Murray for Lavin (58m), Cillian Duggan for Tuffy (60m).

Galway; Cillian Walsh; Michael Burke, Conor McNally, Tiarnán Prouix; Brian O'Malley, Ross Coen, Seán Rhattigan; Shay McGlinchey, Stephen O'Grady; Ciarán Mulhern, Charlie Cox, Ciarán McDonagh; Daniel Fitzmaurice, Seán Walsh, Jack Heneghan

Subs; Vincent Gill, Rory Igoe for McDonagh, Evan Moran for Fitzmaurice.

Referee; Aaron Clogher (Roscommon).