A team ending season with a flourish

Colemanstown’s 5-2 league drubbing of Tuam Celtic yesterday secures top flight status again next year and proved the A team are somewhat finishing the season with a bit of a flourish.  Gary Lally has shown great leadership all season and again yesterday proved he is a vital cog in this squad.  He opened the scoring within minutes when he was perfectly positioned to finish from close range after the Tuam keeper spilled a free kick from Ronnie Geraghty. Colemanstown doubled the lead on 10mins after Shane Bailey flicked on the ball at midfield for Ray Moran to run onto and Moran who found himself one-on-one with the keeper, held his nerve to make no mistake. 15mins later that man Gary Lally was instrumental in scoring our 3rd. You could easily equate him to Usain Bolt but without the height! his distinctive style of powerful running seen many times yesterday on the flanks, head back, chest out and lightening fast as he ran down the line, crossed perfectly to Matt Moran who controlled the ball well, and neatly laid off to Bailey who shot powerfully to the net. The prospect of a mauling was already in the air as Colemanstown went in at the interval 3-0 to the good. Squelchy looked to have the easiest of chances moments after the restart when he found himself one-on-one with the keeper but he blasted to the left of the post and seconds later he put a header wide after a great run and subsequent cross from the stand side of the field from Gary Lally.  Bailey continued the mauling as he scored his second and Colemanstown’s fourth through a powerful header 13mins into the second half when he was perfectly positioned on the back post to meet a Richie Lally cross from the far side of the field. Immediately from the kick off Tuam pulled one back as Colemanstown made a few changes which saw veteran but the ageless Garry O’Grady introduced and the hard working Conor Feeney.  At this stage the referee decided to take a break to give both sets of players a chance to get some fluids on board such was the sweltering heat on this sunny May day. 20mins into the second half, Conor Feeney scored our 5th to wrap up our goal proceedings when he capitalised on a defensive error, easily dispossessing the Tuam defender while his attempted lob of the keeper just fell short of the goal line but as he quickly followed up he was on hand to tap into an empty net as the keeper lay stranded in the 6 yard box. Soon after Feeney again was offered another chance when he ran onto a long clearance from Matt Moran at the back and found himself one-on-one with the keeper and looked like the easiest of chances but the keeper stretched well to get his hand to it.  Bailey was then denied a hat trick as the keepers great one handed save was enough to save more blushes after great work from Ray Moran on the far side of the field. Tuam pulled another back not long before the final whistle from the penalty spot after Kennys arm got in the way. But it didn’t matter much as the hard work was done and party mode began as our mission was accomplished. Overall it was a pleasing performance as the entire squad showed great character. It looks like these lads are set for a remarkable end with 2 games left to play in what started out as a bad season.