Ja Fallon says he's worried by Sligo's failure to feed across 32 years of Connacht football. His teammates believe in a similar hunger. Soundbites we won't read too much into. But we are interested with the snippets coming from their opposition.

Goalkeeper Phillip Greene said Sligo were ready to end the drought. Eamonn O'Hara decided enough was enough, and said they would win it with the steely eyes of a man ready to meet his maker in pursuit of victory. Kieran Quinn and Sean Davey have also been making positive noises this week. In the past these are guys who went out and played for future glories. They all realise this time around that glory must come now.

But confidence is one thing, class is another and before Sligo can get anywhere near that elusive provincial title, they might have a quick look through the Galway teamsheet and stare at some of the stars that have denied them over the years. From newcomers like Finian Hanley, who is one of the finest young full-backs in the country, to Michael Meehan (left), who is due a return to form to the bench where Sean Armstrong surprisingly remains, there's a freshness. From Declan Meehan to Derek Savage to Ja Fallon to Padraic Joyce there's a craving for one more tilt at an All Ireland. Taking all that into consideration there should be enough to get Peter Ford's side close to that ultimate goal, and certainly through today's outing.

But then there are days like Leitrim where, despite coming through a tricky tie, there's something lacking. This is a group who have been to the top, be it at underage or senior, and venues and new stands and players giving it a real lash should not get to them. It does though and has consistently in recent years and today they are going to find a team giving it a go like none other.

Galway are set to face a side who are willing to burn down the house to get the flies from the kitchen and Sligo have to, what with O'Hara ageing and Davey talking about retirement.

The underdogs are not helped by the loss of Dara McGarty and Paul Taylor but they are not the losses they might have been a couple of year's back and they can cope. But to win they must do more than that. It's no good living with Galway and hoping to catch them down the stretch. Ask Leitrim. Instead Sligo must rattle the Tribesmen early but if they touch on the accuracy of their semi-final against Roscommon, it will be suicide.

We've a feeling they'll improve and the occasion won't get to them. We reckon Eamonn O'Hara and Kieran Quinn could shade the midfield battle.

But they'll fall just short and while they may come out of it with more credit than the opposition, they won't come out of it with the title.

Verdict Galway by three GALWAY P Doherty; K Fitzgerald, F Hanley, D Burke; M Comer, D Blake, D Meehan; J Bergin, N Coleman; D Savage, J Fallon, N Joyce; M Meehan, P Joyce, C Bane SLIGO P Greene; C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donovan; P McGovern, M McNamara, J Davey; E O'Hara, K Quinn;

B Curran, B Egan, S Davey, D Kelly, M Breheny, J McPartland