FBD LEAGUE NUI Galway1-6 Sligo 0-4:A GOAL from Jason Doherty proved decisive as NUI Galway made a winning start to the FBD League against Kevin Walsh's Sligo at the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Ballyhaunis last night.

Neil Douglas got NUI Galway off the mark with a point after five minutes, but Sligo midfielder Brendan Egan should have goaled for Walsh’s charges when he blasted wide.

Stephen Coen drew the Yeats county level moments later, but FBD League goal specialist Doherty – he bagged a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture last year – ensured the students went in ahead when he goaled for John Maughan’s side.

He showed agility to pick up Douglas’s shot, which rebounded off the post, before blasting high to the net past Vinny Cadden.

Douglas tagged on a free to increase the NUI Galway advantage before Pat Hughes pulled Sligo back to trail 1-3 to 0-2 at half-time with a point on the cusp of the break.

Points from Sligo’s Stephen Kilcoyne and Stephen Coen put just two points between the sides by the 38th minute. But three consecutive points from Doherty, substitute Stephen Wynne and a late Douglas free gave NUI Galway the victory.

NUI GALWAY: N King; L Healy, D Gavin, R Rochford; R Kiely (K Conlon, h-t), J Maloney, K Crowe; S Guing, S Moran; C Walsh (D Newcombe, h-t), C Freeman (D Wynne, h-t; 0-1), C Griffin (0-1); N Douglas (0-2fs), J Doherty (1-2), C Conroy.

SLIGO: V Cadden; C Harrison, D Rooney, B Kennedy; J Martyn, S McManus, J Davey (M Breheny, 52 mins); E Mullen, B Egan (P McGovern, 54); P Hughes (0-1), D Maye, V Frizzel (K Cawley, 52); S Coen (0-2, 1f), A Marren, S Kilcoyne (0-1).

Referee: L Devenney(Mayo)