Galway 1-16 GMIT 0-13:NICKY JOYCE returned to haunt his old alma mater as Galway qualified for the decider at Moycullen yesterday.

Joyce kicked six points during a superb opening half as the holders led 1-10 to 0-3 at the break.

The students, who play Dundalk IT in the Sigerson Cup on Wednesday, came storming back largely due to the accuracy of Donegal’s Stephen Griffin and ex- Mayo minor Aidan Campbell.

Earlier, Galway’s Michael Meehan crowned his return from injury when he ran on to a long ball from Barry Cullinane and neatly fisted it over stranded goalkeeper Donal Dowd.

That put Galway 1-6 to 0-1 in front after 15 minutes and former minor star Michael Martin also caught the eye in an attack.

One of Martin’s colleagues from the Galway All-Ireland minor team of 2007, Paul Conroy, led GMIT’s second-half comeback.

GALWAY: P Doherty; E McDonagh, F Hanley, D O'Neill; D Meehan, G O'Donnell, N Coyne; B Cullinane, J Bergin (0-1); N Coleman (0-1), F Breathnach (0-2), M Clancy (0-1); M Meehan (1-0), N Joyce (0-6, two frees), M Martin (0-3, two frees). Subs: P Kennedy (0-2)for M Meehan (21 mins), A Griffin for Cullinane (38 mins), M Lydon for Joyce (46 mins), J Murphy for Coyne (52 mins), E Concannon for Coleman (54 mins).

GMIT: D Dowd; P McGrath, D Crawford, A Deacy; D Lee, A Thompson, C Hands; P Conroy (0-1), M O'Brien; J Burke, P Regan, S Kavanagh (0-1); A Campbell (0-5, three frees), S Griffin (0-5, four frees), M Coady (0-1). Subs: J Walsh for O'Brien (15 mins), E O'Sullivan for McGrath (40 mins), D McIntyre for Regan (40) mins), N Prenty for Burke (50 mins), C Canney for Kavanagh (55 mins).

Referee: E O'Grady(Leitrim).

Next Up . . .

Galway and Mayo meet in the NFL opener next weekend, and the two will then have to clash again in the FBD decider on Saturday, February 20th.