Sligo celebrated their return to first division football after an absence of over 20 years with this hard-earned victory over Tipperary at Markievicz Park yesterday.

With so much at stake, there was a nervous edge to Sligo's play, but they always had too much on hand for the Munster side and produced their best football and some neat combinations when playing against the elements in the first half.

SLIGO: P Walsh; J Joyce, N McGuire, M Cosgrove; R Keane, N Clancy, T McGuinn; P Durcan, E O'Hara (0-1); K Killeen, D Sloyne (0-1), B Walsh (0-1); J McPartland (0-1), P Taylor (0-6), G McGowan (0-2). Subs: T Brennan for McPartland, 47 mins; B Kilcoyne for Clancy, 65 mins.

TIPPERARY: P Ryan; C O'Dwyer, N Kelly, L Cronin; PJ Lanigan, S Collum, R Leahy; D Foley (0-1), F O'Callaghan; M Sheehan, D Hogan, (0-1,) S Maher (0-1); P Lambert (0-3), C O'Shea, J Costello. Subs: D Lyons for Costello, 3 mins; J Williams (0-1) for Cronin half-time, K Coonan for Sheehan; 47 mins.

Referee: M Convery (Derry).