BONAGEE United followed up on their U16 Plate final win with victory over Swilly Rovers after a cracking Rosebowl final in Ramelton on Tuesday evening.
Swilly Rovers 1 Bonagee United 1 (Bonagee win 5-4 on pens)
It took the dreaded penalties to separate the teams in a pulsating game that swung from end-to-end.
Hannah Hopkins’ penalty in normal time had cancelled out Orlaith Connolly’s opener for Swilly.
With nothing between them, it was down to the spot-kicks, where Bonagee came out on top thanks to successful kicks from Maria Carvalho, Andrea Cutliffe, Grace Murphy, Eva Harvey and, finally, Hopkins.
Last week, Hopkins conjured up a late, late winner against Finn Valley in the Plate final and the Dry Arch team had their supporters biting their nails again here.
Swilly took the lead when Connolly – who was a big danger all throughout the game – broke clear and tucked home after initially being denied by Emma Doherty, the Bonagee ‘keeper.
Connolly headed off the top of the crossbar late in the first half as Swilly looked for a second.
At the other end, Cutliffe and Heather McLaughlin carried the fight for Bonagee with Cliodhna Patton going end-to-end for the visitors’ cause on the left-hand side.
Bonagee forced a succession of corners, but Swilly’s rearguard held firm.
Bonagee, with the ever-lively Grace Murphy introduced to their attack, set about rescuing the tie. Hopkins and Cutliffe went close while Ellie Duffy, the Swilly goalkeeper, was out sharply to deny Murphy.
Duffy also saved well from McLaughlin in a period of pressure from the visitors, who had Amy Callaghan battling hard in the engine room and the ever-reliable Eva Harvey standing firm.
However, when Murphy was taken down, referee Liam McLaughlin pointed to the spot and Hopkins drilled home from 12 yards.
Bonagee’s teak-tough captain CaitlÃn Hume – also a member of the North West Women’s Super League-winning Bonagee senior squad – was forced off injured, having led her defence superbly until then.
Hume’s absence for the final ten minutes allowed Swilly back in with Kelsey McAteer, Hannah O’Carroll and the threatening Connolly starting to probe.
Connolly powered one effort into the side-netting, Aleysia Alcorn hacked clear from a set piece, while Doherty made a superb save from another blistering Connolly shot.
A goal-line clearance by the alert Patton saw Bonagee – guided by an excellent display from Ava Doherty in the closing moments – force penalties and they took their latest win in what has been a fine week for the club’s ladies and girls section.
