It went down to the wire in Sligo on Saturday as Easkey grabbed a well-earned draw against Coolera Strandhill in Group 2 of the Sligo Senior Football Championship, finishing 0-15 to 1-12.
It was Jack Scott who proved the hero for Easkey, popping up with crucial late points to drag his side level and deny Coolera Strandhill what would have been a valuable win. The kind of score that gets talked about in the dressing room for weeks.
Coolera Strandhill had looked like they were doing enough to take the two points, keeping Easkey at arm’s length for long stretches of the game. Their tally of 15 points showed they were no slouches in front of the posts, but they just could not shake off an Easkey side that refused to lie down.
Eakey’s goal was a key moment in the game, giving them a foothold when they needed it most and keeping the scoreboard ticking over in a way that pure point-scoring alone might not have managed. That one-goal cushion in the bank gave them something to work with as the clock ran down.
But it was the character shown in the closing stages that will stand out for Easkey. Rather than fading when Coolera Strandhill pushed, they kept pressing and Scott delivered when it mattered. A draw might feel like a missed opportunity for both sides depending on how the group table shakes out, but for Easkey it will feel much more like two points gained than one dropped.
Coolera Strandhill will be frustrated. They had the game in a position where three points looked likely, but could not close it out. In championship football, those moments of hesitation or missed chances at the death can prove costly come the final reckoning in the group standings.
Both sides will now be looking ahead to their remaining fixtures with one eye on the bigger picture. Every point in the group stage matters, and this draw keeps things tight and interesting in Group 2 as the championship continues to take shape.
The Sligo SFC always throws up competitive games at this time of year, and this latest round was no different. With teams closely matched across the groups, results like this one only add to the uncertainty about who will progress and who will face the harder road through the championship.
Fans of both clubs will be hoping their sides can build on the positives from this encounter and push on in the coming rounds.