Ballyhaunis’s big night

HISTORY will be made tonight in Ballyhaunis, Mayo when the Connacht Council’s Centre of Excellence hosts it’s first matches — the opening games of the FBD League.

New Galway boss Alan Mulholland leads his senior side into action against Sligo IT at 6.30pm while former Galway All-Ireland senior winner Kevin Walsh oversees Sligo in their 2012 seasonal bow against NUI Galway (8pm).

Mulholland yesterday revealed that Nicky Joyce is to return to the squad. Joyce, a cousin of former footballer of the year Padraic, did not link up with Tomas Ó Flátharta’s squad last year, but Mulholland confirmed that the Killererin attacker has joined the squad.

“Nicky is back doing a bit of gym work with us. Hopefully he will be available for the year. We asked him to come in and do a bit of training and he has done his plan before Christmas. We want to have him with us in the panel so hopefully he will be in a position to put in the effort.”