The scene was set…. the stand well filled, beautiful sunny May evening, the presence of joint second place Corofin who had a huge interest in this game, Colemanstown on the brink of participation in next seasons premier league….. and then…. what a game! Possibly the best ever performance by a Colemanstown team in any competition …. pure class to say the least, albeit they missed 9 scoring chances, all efforts superb, hit the woodwork 5 times and then having to deal with the midges as well as player cramp towards the end of the game. An epic game! Exaggerated? well not one bit. It was as simple as this; a win against Corrib Celtic would secure top flight football next season; a draw would result in a play-off with Corofin to determine 2nd place promotion spot. Colemanstown were by far the better team; they played splendid football from start to finish and showed a superior level of fitness and athleticism. Colemanstown were 1-0 up on 2mins when stalwart Tom Flan was taken down and he himself dispatched the resultant penalty with ease. A few more early opportunities fell to Flan but his efforts were wide of the mark while Ray Moran drove his effort wide when Colemanstown could easily have been 3-0 up at this stage. The first division kingpins were fortuitous in finding the equaliser as a free kick by Corrib Celtic was well cleared by the Colemanstown defense but a high cross was swung in which deflected off a defenders shoulder and in to the net. Colemanstown took control of the game again, pressurising the opposition allowing them no time on the ball. Soon afterwards Flan then took a shot which was blocked but fell nicely to Alan Finn who riffled to the net from an almost impossible angle. 2-1 half time. In the 2nd half, chances fell to Squelchy and with his lightening speed found himself one on one with the keeper but blasted wide with only the keeper to beat. 2mins later Ray Moran riffled over the bar when he too only had the keeper to beat. 5 mins later an Alan Finn right footed shot hit the post and the rebound fell to an inrushing Flan who drove over the bar. At this stage everyone feared it would be a game where Colemanstown would regret all the missed chances but you have to live in hope! They must have broken the record hitting the woodwork so many times as the heads dropped a little bit with so many missed chances and there was a slight momentary lull in the game. Corrib Celtic created the equaliser down the right wing as the striker curled the ball in to the left side of the goal. Colemanstown regained control for the latter stages of the game and created more chances towards the end. Paddy Mullins was introduced for the injured Ray Moran, he took on 2 players almost at the death; he could have taken a shot himself but choose to pass to Flan whose shot was blocked. Colemanstown’s late pressure resulted in a corner which was defended well by Corrib Celtic and so it finished 2-2 at the final whistle and thank God it ended in a draw and not a loss and no one has to sit and wonder about the what if’s? and what if not’s? The statement of a spectator after the game said it all: “they won but not on the scoreboard”. Colemanstown now play Corofin in a play-off fight for the 2nd promotion spot, date and time TBC. Well done lads and the management team on a truly epic performance.