FAI’s Club of the Year get season off to flier – in the end

By Mike Rafferty

LAST month Colemanstown United were bestowed with the greatest off-field honour possible thanks to their selection as FAI Club of the Year and for the opening quarter of their first team return to action at the weekend, it looked like they had overdone the celebrations as they found themselves really struggling and two down against West Coast United.

However, once they blew the cobwebs off and settled into this First Division contest in Letterfrack, Colemanstown United staged a marvellous recovery to level matters by the break and, then, eventually emerge with a 5-3 win.

In an open contest that was a credit to both sides, it was the home outfit who seized the initiative as goals by Noel Varley and Alan Walsh had them two up, before the visitors got the legs pumping and finishes by Jason Finn (penalty) and John O’Brien had the sides tied at 2-2 at the interval.

Continuing where they left off on the resumption, Colemanstown took the lead on the hour mark when Geordan Kenny fired them ahead, only for an own goal to cancel that out and leave matters tied at 3-3. However, with chances going abegging at both ends, it was the visitors who scored twice in the closing stages through Shane Reilly and Sean Walsh to complete the perfect recovery and seal the 5-3 win.

The new season also kicked off with a Connemara derby clash in Carraroe and where opening half goals by Chris Ó Biadha and Temi Kuku gave newly promoted Cois Fharraige a 2-0 win over MacDara in their first ever game in the division.

There was no separating Knocknacarra and Dynamo Blues in Cappagh Park as the sides shared four goals in a 2-2 draw. Adam Nolan and Cathal MacDonnacha were on the mark for the home side with Leon Tighe and Eanna Donnellan responding for the Tuam side.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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