BONAGEE UNITED EASED their way into the next round of the WFAI Intermediate Shield this evening at Dry Arch Park.
Bonagee United 10 St Bernard’s 0
Natalie McFadden’s hat-trick helped power Seamy McGinty’s team to a one-sided win over St Bernard’s from Galway, with doubles apiece for Shannon McBride, Bridgeen Devenney and Leona Russell before substitute Emma Ryan added the tenth.
Bonagee were 5-0 ahead by half-time in a one-sided game, bossed utterly from start to finish by the hosts.
[adrotate group=”70″]It was as comfortable as they could have hoped for and it was a straightforward outing for the girls in green.
Bonagee hit the front after just 70 seconds when McFadden latched onto Olivia McGinley’s threaded pass and slammed past the hapless Mary Burns, the busy St Bernard’s goalkeeper.
Bonagee doubled their advantage in the 13th minute in cracking style.
The St Bernard’s rearguard stood off and invited a shot from Shannon McBride. The Bonagee attacker duly obliged, with a deft left-footed lob that sailed home.
In between times, McFadden was denied by Burns in a one-on-one and looped another attempt just over.
Bonagee were in the mood here and it took a strong arm by Burns to save from Natalie Sweeney before Russell’s glancing header just missed the bullseye.
The home side were three to the good when Devenney, after her initial effort from a free kick hit the St Bernard’s wall, floated into the far corner from the left edge of the penalty box.
Bonagee had bowed out of the WFAI Cup following a harrowing extra-time loss to Illies Celtic last month, but showed their mettle here with a convincing performance.
Sweeney could have made it four, but tucked her shot just to the wrong side of Burns’ post after fashioning a chance for herself on the half-hour mark.
[adrotate group=”37″]Bonagee ‘keeper Denise McElhinney was a spectator for the most part, but saved at the feet of Montse Balorich on one of the rare occasions St Bernard’s managed to breach the home defence.
Any time Bonagee ventured forward they sensed a goal and they added to the tally when McBride curled a 25-yard free kick over the four-woman wall and beyond Burns.
By the time Liam McLaughlin, the referee, called time on the first half, Bonagee were five up, Devenney tucking home after a breakaway late in the half.
Burns twice kept Sweeney at bay early in the second half and then denied McBride with a superb one-handed save before the resistance broke when McFadden slotted in her second on 59 minutes.
[adrotate group=”76″]Just two minutes later, McFadden completed her hat-trick, slotting home from just inside the box.
Bonagee were merciless and full-back Russell got in on the act with a delightful finish after a determined burst down the right flank.
Enlivened by that goal, Russell added another, Bonagee’s ninth, on 73 minutes, calmly stroking under Burns after weaving her way through the middle.
Ryan added the coup de grâce with a smashing strike from distance and the ordeal would have been much worse for the Galweigeans, but McFadden chipped onto the crossbar and Sweeney was denied by Burns.
Bonagee had no shortage of top performers, led by their hat-trick heroine McFadden and driven throughout by the likes of Russell, McBride, Sweeney and Devenney,
[adrotate group=”38″]Now, they head for Orchard Park on Tuesday night for a crunch Donegal Women’s League clash against the League leaders Lagan Harps.
Bonagee United: Denise McElhinney; Leona Russell, Amy Thompson, Grainne Gallagher, Claire Orr (Lauren Lynch 67); Shannon McBride (Emma Ryan 73), Anna Doherty, Olivia McGinley (Aoife Gallagher 56), Bridgeen Devenney; Natalie Sweeney, Natalie McFadden.
St Bernard’s: Mary Burns; Aoife Donoghue, Louise Kelly, Claire Keane, Alicia McSharry; Dearbhla Gower, Jessica Greene, Bronagh Murphy, Amy Monaghan; Sabrina Commins, Montse Balorich.
Referee: Liam McLaughlin.
Tags: