The second leg of a famous treble as Ireland beat Afghanistan to claim the T20 WCQ crown is the favourite match of Odran Flynn.

The Irish were at the peak of their powers this year as they clinched every trophy. The side coached by Phil Simmons with William Porterfield as skipper had a tough core of experienced and talented all-rounders. It was the zenith for the squad, and although there would be more victories, it was perhaps the beginning of the end of the golden period in Irish cricket.

Odran Flynn has been a regular columnist for CricketEurope over the past decade. His popular columns showcase his analytical talent, backing up his arguments with hard, cold facts. A former Irish league footballer, he is perhaps best known for his political analysis on Newstalk and other media outlets.

My favourite game was the second leg of the famous triple crown year of 2013. It was the final match in which I saw Trent Johnston live and he gave a supreme match winning performance.

Barry Chambers, Ian Callender, Ger Siggins and his son Billy and I spent 17 days journeying from Abu Dhabi out to the Sheikh Zayed Stadium as Ireland, with a few minor hiccups along the way, made it to the final of the World Cup T20 Qualifier.

Unsurprisingly, Afghanistan had also made it to the final hurdle and the thousands of Afghan fans who flooded into the stadium fully expected their heroes to deliver.

However, Ireland had played some stunning cricket throughout the tournament and they saved the best until last. William Porterfield and Paul Stirling blasted an opening partnership of 68 in just 33 balls and then Kevin O'Brien joined Stirling and they took the score to 104 at the end of the ninth over. When O'Brien was dismissed off the first delivery of the tenth over, Porterfield made the inspired decision to promote Johnston up the order.

And how it paid off as the pair slaughtered the bowling attack with a partnership of 64 off 32 balls and despite losing Stirling for 76 from just 43 balls TJ kept blazing the ball to all parts. When he was finally dismissed in the penultimate over, his 62 of 32 balls including five fours and four sixes, had brought the Afghans to their knees.

The final total of 225-7 was the fourth highest innings total in T20I's and the highest by an Associate team at that time. There is a balcony just outside the Media Centre in the stadium and I went out to it to savour the raucous atmosphere at the start of Afghanistan's reply.

The uniquely talented Mohammad Shahzad produced one of the loudest roars I have ever heard in a cricket ground when the sent the first ball of the innings arcing like a tracer shell against the night sky and it landed just below my vantage point. If anything, the roars got louder as the next two delivers from Max Sorensen were crashed to the boundary and I knew another half hour of this, and no total was safe.

Afghanistan were 36 without loss after just three overs when Porterfield made his second inspired decision and brought on George Dockrell and he broke the partnership with his second ball. Although Shahzad kept smashing the ball to the boundary Dockrell had him caught in his second over and literally brought the burly wicketkeeper to his knees in dismay.

Afghanistan kept going hard but regular wickets, including both Alex Cusack and Johnston getting wickets off successive balls, left them needing a miracle.

With the class of this Ireland team that was never going to materialise and with the penultimate delivery of the 19th over Tim Murtagh yorked Shapoor Zadran and it was Ireland's trophy by 68 runs.

Having won the World Cricket League earlier in the year, Ireland went on to take the Intercontinental Cup a few weeks later, again besting Afghanistan, this time in Dubai.

It was Trent Johnston's final game for his adopted country, and no one deserved to bow out on such a high note as the man who was so instrumental in taking Ireland to unimaginable heights.

Had I been allowed a second pick my other would have been the Test in Lords last summer, particularly the first day when I never thought I would witness at first hand the Home of Cricket engulfed by gloriously ecstatic Ireland fans.