Kildare 1-11 Sligo 1-10:It wasn't just the fine weather that brought such a big crowd to Sligo yesterday. Though only two rounds into the league, this was a game with a vibe of winner-takes-all, and certainly on the final whistle Kildare seemed to feel that way.

The one-point victory was the difference between keeping an interest in this league campaign and perhaps having none at all.

For Kildare it means their first win and that the spirits are kept high, while for Sligo it means two defeats out of two and the knowledge that troubled times now lie ahead.

With that sort of scenario it was hardly surprising that the game went from zero to 60 in less than 10 seconds.

Kildare had 0-2 on the scoreboard in the opening two minutes and stayed in control for much of the first half. But only a team like Sligo could have battled back so hard, only to find on this occasion that time was not on their side.

Both teams take to the road next weekend, and when Kildare meet Meath at least their confidence will be a little improved from recent weeks.

Sligo are away to Down and it is safe to assume that manager Peter Ford will be forced into more sweeping changes.

Yesterday Ford made six positional switches, and one in personnel, from the team that fell equally as narrowly to Mayo last weekend.

The injured Neil Carew was replaced at full back by Mark Cosgrove, but he didn't last too long either as the Sligo defence still seemed built like a house of cards for much of the first half.

It was 10 minutes before Gerry McGowan chipped over Sligo's first point, a controversial free that set the trend of indecisiveness of Donegal referee Seamus McGonigle.

For the remainder of the first half Sligo's attack remained a trickle compared to Kildare's flood, and had the visitors been marginally more accurate then their 1-9 to 1-5 lead at the interval would have been far greater.

Sligo were sluggish and without much direction.

Eamonn O'Hara was operating at midfield but without his usual effect, and as a result the scoring opportunities were few and far between. And but for Paul Durcan at midfield they would have sunk far deeper.

Derek McCormack hit two of Kildare's opening three points but throughout their forward line they were far more inventive and hard working.

Aidan McHugh continues to settle at midfield and with Glenn Ryan looking as fit as ever their team work was far superior to that of Sligo.

Tadhg Fennin and Ronan Sweeney had a harder time finding their targets, and against the run of play Sligo levelled it at 0-3 each shortly before the 20-minute mark.

Though Kildare temporarily restored their advantage, a Gary Maye pass then found McGowan unmarked and he slipped the ball past a helpless Enda Murphy in the Kildare goal.

A couple more exchanges of scores reflected the enduring pace of the game, but shortly after the half-hour mark Kildare were granted the daylight they deserved.

Ryan sent a reasonably harmless free-kick towards goal, but a quick flick from Fennin set up Terry Rossiter with an equally golden goal opportunity, and like McGowan he didn't waste it.

As if to underline Kildare's supremacy for the opening half, Eamonn Callaghan charged up from wing back for another score, and so they turned with a four-point advantage.

They had also shot five wides to just one from Sligo, who were clearly in need of a major revival for the second half.

When Rossiter added a point to his goal just seconds after the break, it appeared Sligo were doomed to even greater destruction. Yet incredibly Kildare would go a full 33 minutes before their next and final score, partly reflecting the generally poorer state of play throughout the second half.

But Sligo deserve credit for their fightback. O'Hara at least increased his presence around the field, and players like Seán Davey, Karol O'Neill and Kieran Quinn also produced some much-needed assistance to McGowan in the attack.

As they moved forward in increasing numbers their scores inevitably arrived. O'Neill reduced the deficit to three points on 56 minutes, and then a second free-kick from McGowan reduced it to two as the game entered the final 10 minutes.

Sligo were now clearly in the hunt for outright victory. Kildare's attack had become notably ragged, although at one point there was some miraculous defending from Sligo to twice deny John Doyle a clear shot at goal.

Then, with just two minutes of normal time remaining, Sligo reduced the deficit to the minimum even though it was corner back Brendan Philips who provided the score.

Now positioned at 1-10 to 1-9, the value of the league points suddenly increased.

Unfortunately for Sligo that was the stage when their accuracy let them down.

McGowan, of all people, hit an unforgivable wide, and unlike some recent summers their fighting qualities simply were not enough.

Instead Kildare put together the decisive passage of play: from substitute Eddie McCormack to Doyle, and with the point from Derek McCormack.

The clock was now in added time, and although McGowan had the final say on the scoreboard, the time had simply run away.

And Kildare manager Padraic Nolan will take much from the victory besides the relief of his first league points.

Callaghan is a clear addition to Anthony Rainbow in the half-back line, and with Damien Hendy also settling well at full back, bit by bit those cracks in the team are being filled.

KILDARE: E Murphy; B Lacey (0-1), D Hendy, A McLoughlin; E Callaghan (0-1), G Ryan, A Rainbow; D Earley, A McHugh; K Ennis (0-2), J Doyle (0-2, both frees), R Sweeney; T Rossiter (1-1), D McCormack (0-3), T Fennin (0-1). Subs: E McCormack for Sweeney (49 mins), P Hurley for Rossiter (55 mins), K Brennan for McHugh (61 mins), P Brennan for D McCormack (69 mins).

SLIGO: J Curran; P Gallagher, M Cosgrove, B Philips (0-1); P Doohan, M Langan, D Durkin; P Durcan (0-1), K Quinn (0-2, one 45); K O'Neill (0-1), E O'Hara, S Davey; G Maye (0-1), J McPartland, G McGowan (1-4, two frees). Subs: P Naughton for Cosgrove (22 mins), N McGuire for Gallagher (45 mins), JP Henry for Maye (47 mins).

Referee: S McGonigle (Donegal).