THE TRADITIONAL fear and trepidation associated with the start of the Connacht football championship is back in focus this weekend when Sligo face New York in Gaelic Park on Sunday – although there is still the back-door route, should they fall victim to a historic defeat.

It’s two years since Galway travelled out with little apprehension, it seemed, and yet very nearly came home with their tails between their legs – losing two players to red cards in the second half, forcing them to pull out all the stops before winning 2-13 to 0-12, scoring 1-2 in added time.

Then it emerged that had they lost, Galway wouldn’t have been eligible to enter the All-Ireland qualifiers – as New York are excluded under rule. With that it meant the Connacht Council requested a rule change to Central Council, which was passed last year, and will come into play again this year should Sligo end up on the losing end of what would be New York’s first championship victory.

In the meantime Sligo manager Kevin Walsh travelled out with his panel of players yesterday morning, mostly at full strength. Forward David Kelly did travel but is unlikely to play as he continues his comeback from injury, while David Rooney remained at home due to exam commitments.

New York are managed by Connie Molloy, brother of Donegal’s 1992 All-Ireland winning captain Anthony, and are also coached by Mickey Coleman, formerly in the All-Ireland winning backroom team with Tyrone, although they have been struggled to maintain a consistent panel in recent months.

It emerged this week the Connacht Council and New York County Board have contributed €50,000 towards the cost of Sligo’s travelling expenses to New York, around 30 per cent more than last year, and part of last year’s agreement that saw a five-year extension to New York’s participation in the Connacht football championship.

Elsewhere, Dublin forward Bernard Brogan returned to competitive action on Wednesday for the first time in over three months following knee surgery, playing for St Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh in the Dublin football league.

Brogan came off the bench for the last 15 minutes and kicked two points, and appears on course to feature in Dublin’s championship opener against Louth or Westmeath on June 3rd, having missed their entire league campaign.

Dublin under-21 football manager Jim Gavin will be fielding his strongest team for Sunday’s All-Ireland final against Roscommon in Tullamore, with only minor injuries to report over Alan Carr and Ben Quinn, and is therefore set to name an unchanged team from that which beat Cork in the semi-final.

Roscommon manager Nigel Dineen likewise reports a mostly clean bill of health and is expected to stick with the team that beat a fancied Cavan in their semi-final.

Tickets for Sunday’s game will be available at O’Connor Park: Stand: €20, terrace: €15, students and senior citizens: €5. Season tickets are not valid for this fixture.