MATTHEW de Cook netted a hat-trick as Bonagee United scored an entertaining win in a game of eight goals with Milford United in the Donegal Youth League today.
Bonagee United 6 Milford United 2
Striker de Cook had opened the scoring at Dry Arch Park in the seventh minute and he added two second-half goals to help the Tony O’Carroll-managed Bonagee to a useful win.
Ryan Moran, Darren Coyle and, late in the game, Stephen Lafferty, were also on the mark for the home side, while Darragh Greene’s late double for Milford came just too late to make a game of it.
Milford had begun the brighter and Myles Mulgrew headed off the crossbar in the early stages before de Cook’s fine finish beat Neil Martin, the Milford goalkeeper, for the lead goal.
It took a fine intervention by Oisin Purdy to cut out a dangerous Greene cross soon after and Bonagee hit a second goal against the run of play. Moran, son of Bonagee first team manager Peter, chipped delightfully over Martin on the run in the 14th minute.
Eight minutes before half-time, Coyle turned home from close range after de Cook’s deflected cross fell invitingly.
Milford were denied by the woodwork again when a free-kick clipped the top of the bar and a dangerous corner by Oisin Doherty almost crept in at the far post.
Bonagee goalkeeper Peter O’Donnell got his fingertips to an effort from Mulgrew as Milford sought a way back into the contest.
However, the game was as good as gone from their grasp when, just 70 seconds into the second half de Cook wonderfully headed across Martin to the bottom corner.
Milford were rocked when ‘keeper Martin had to withdraw injured on the hour and Mulgrew had to don the number 1 shirt. However, his first act was to pluck the ball from the net as de Cook bagged his hat-trick.
The Royal and Prior student had a go and his effort caught Mulgrew out to make it 5-0.
Adam Hannaway was thwarted by Mulgrew while Daniel Stolarczyk fired wide for the hosts, before Milford hit two quick-fire goals in the dying moments, both on the breakaway.
Greene had work to do with both, but after one tidy finish he got away to beat O’Donnell at his near post.
The deficit was still three goals at that stage and time was rapidly running out. Just for good measure, Bonagee added another in added time as Lafferty got on the end of Jordan Nelis’ cross to nod home the sixth.
Bonagee United: Peter O’Donnell, Brandon Brown, Sean McNulty, Kyle Gormley, Jordan Rodgers, Darren Coyle, Adam Hannaway, Oisin Purdy, Matthew de Cook, Daniel Stolarczyk, Ryan Moran. Subs used: Ronan Downey, Stephen Lafferty, Conor Logue, John O’Donnell, Jordan Nelis.
Milford United: Neil Martin, Odhrán Crossan, Oisin Doherty, Niall Trearty, Andreas Afxentiou, Adam Graham, Ryan Toye, Ryan Flood, Darragh Greene, Jonah Serrinha, Myles Mulgrew. Subs used: Luke Serrinha, Reece Ufton, Sean Martin.
Referee: Ed Moore.
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