With the semi-finals of the Allianz National Football League an all-Connacht affair, provincial champions Galway were the first team through to next week's final after a comprehensive win over Sligo at Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon on Saturday evening.
If the game wasn't entirely up at half-time, it wasn't looking too healthy for Sligo. Having dominated general play and the scoring for virtually the entire 35 minutes, they went in only on level terms.
The match as an attraction had to endure the twin assaults of a monsoon and live television.
As a result, only around 5,000 hardy souls turned up - surely a record low for a Football League semi-final in modern times.
Despite the novelty of their first appearance at this level since 1974 and the motivation of last summer's merciless hammering by the same opponents, Sligo couldn't sustain their initial momentum.
For manager Peter Ford there were some positive elements to the performance, including a refusal to capitulate, but once Galway found their stride the result was never really in doubt.
Side-benefits of the victory included a powerful display by Michael Donnellan, the developing confidence of a novice full-back line (in a team with five players still under-21 next year) and the aplomb of the forwards even in dire conditions.
Galway manager John O'Mahony afterwards reprised his familiar performance as the man who has won the Lotto but is worried about the price of the bus fare to collect it.
"I thought we were terrible in the first half and that sort of tentative football wouldn't be good enough to win a league title. We won the match in 20 minutes.
"We were lucky to be level at half-time and the goal killed it off. We've been playing in patches. When we win, people keep thinking we're going to win everything, but at other stages we're lethargic."
That lethargy was in marked contrast to Sligo's busy start. Yet it was Galway who nearly opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Sean de Paor's shot was scrambled off the line by Padraig Doohan.
Gerry McGowan opened the scoring in the 11th minute and Ken Killeen added a second two minutes later although a goal was on. Sligo's forwards moved well at this stage.
Nigel Clancy played with authority at full back and kept Padraig Joyce at bay for much of the first period - forcing the Galway captain to switch to the 40 - and Eamonn O'Hara was constantly in the frame in the course of his free-running battle with Michael Donnellan.
Nonetheless, Galway kept in touch. They were awarded a penalty in the 16th minute for a foot-block on Lorcan Colleran after Sligo goalkeeper Peter Walsh had flapped at a ball dropped in by Joe Bergin.
Derek Savage rolled it into the right-hand corner of the net. It was his team's only score for nearly the first half-hour but they got value out of it.
The second quarter was Sligo's best phase as they forced frees from their opponents' inexperienced full-back line.
Paul Taylor and Dessie Sloyan exacted punishment and, in the 27th minute, Sligo led 06 to 1-0. But, in a burst of productivity, Galway levelled in injury-time before the interval.
In the second half, Michael Donnellan took over. Covering acres of space from his novel centre-field base, he popped up at the back and in attack.
The Connacht champions' attack was beginning to spark and de Paor, in explosive form, cut through to put a goal between the teams, 1-8 to 0-8, in the 51st minute.
Two minutes later came the decisive blow. Sean O Domhnaill, substituting for the injured Bergin, won a ball at centre-field. The move flashed to fellow sub Tommy Joyce and his brother Padraig whose perfect kick was gathered by Matthew Clancy who finished in style.
By now Galway were looking exceptional. Strong on the ball, fast and incisive, they threatened to sweep Sligo in the direction of their fate last July.
To the credit of the beleaguered opposition, they responded and kept things respectable. They have until June 10th to prepare for the championship while Galway get ready for a first league final in 17 years.
Galway: P Lally; M Comer, K Fitzgerald, M Colleran; D Meehan (0-1), J Divilly, S de Paor (0-1); M Donnellan (0-2, one 45), J Bergin; M Clancy (1-2), K Comer (0-1), L Colleran; D Savage (1-1, goal from penalty), P Joyce (0- 2, one free), J Donnellan (0-2, both frees). Subs: S O Domhnaill for Bergin (27 mins); T Joyce for Divilly (41); K Naughton for J Donnellan (54).
Sligo: P Walsh; P Gallagher, N Clancy, B Phillips; P Doohan, P Naughton, D Durkin; P Durcan, E O'Hara; K Killeen (0-1), P Taylor (0- 5, four frees), D McGarty; G McGowan (0-3), D Sloyan (0-2, both frees), J McPartland. Subs: S Davey for McPartland (61 mins); K O'Neill for McGarty (64); C O'Meara for Durcan (65); R Keane for Doohan (69).
Referee: S McCormack (Meath).
