McNamee double sees Bonagee throw down the gauntlet in USL title race

Bonagee United inched a step closer to a first ever Ulster Senior League title as they put champions Cockhill into a position where they can't lose any of their remaining four games. 

Bonagee United 3 Finn Harps Under-21s 2

A brace by Tony McNamee (scoring in the sixth minute of each half), sandwiching a Conor Black goal, saw Bonagee successfully navigate a potential banana skin against Finn Harps Under-21s on Tuesday night.

Bonagee now have a 10-point lead and have just one game to play - against Cockhill, who themselves have three other games to tackle.

On a night that belonged in winter’s depths, McNamee’s second in the 51st minute ought to have ensure a rather more straightforward evening than the natives have been used to of late.

However, Adam Duffy found the bottom corner in the 83rd minute and the nerves were palpable in the downpour. Duffy might well have evened it up in the final minute, but his attempt wasn’t far off the target and Bonagee could breathe again.

That came after Bonagee winger Conor Black saw his lofted effort headed off the line by Sean O’Kane after Black got the better of Cooney in a tussle for possession.

Gareth Harkin saw a powerful effort deflect over the top as Bonagee set about getting the job done early.

In the 20th minute, Black doubled the lead. McNamee swept out to the left for Micheal Doherty, who took a steadying touch before delivering a pin-point cross that was headed home by Black.

McNamee and Dan O’Donnell were narrowly wide and Black was denied by Cooney before Harps threw themselves a lifeline.

Moments after senior panelist Shaunie Bradley riffled wide, Tiernan Ruddy beat Oisin Cannon when he found space and let fly from 25 yards to halve the deficit.

Late in the first half, O’Kane rose to meet a Max Johnson corner, but a firm header just wouldn’t stay down enough to trouble Cannon and, at the other end, Lee McMonagle grazed the top of the Harps crossbar.

Harps’ line-up included former Harps senior players McNamee, Harkin, Michael Funston and Doherty while Stephen and Conor Black and Sean Hume also spent time on the books at Finn Park in their youth.

McNamee bagged the winner in a 1-0 win over Derry City Reserves five nights previously to open a seven-point advantage at the summit.

In the previous meeting of these teams, Harps’ Damien Duffy struck an injury-time equaliser and Bonagee were keen to prevent the hearts from entering the mouths again.

Six minutes into the second half, McNamee headed in brilliantly from a deadly delivery by Republic of Ireland amateur international Jack Parke to restore the two-goal cushion. They still had to endure a nervy ending.

Since his appointment as Bonagee manager in the summer of 2018, Jason Gibson has won five Cups, but the League is the one he and his club craves the most.

Now, their pursuit could come down to a crunch clash with the title holders, provided Cockhill don't slip themselves.

Bonagee United: Oisin Cannon; Michael Funston, Jack Parke, Stephen Black, Micheal Doherty (Deano Larkin 61); Dan O’Donnell, Sean Hume (Gareth Breslin 61); Lee McMonagle, Gareth Harkin (Peter Carr 69), Conor Black (Jamie Lynagh h-t); Tony McNamee.

Finn Harps Under-21s: Oisin Cooney; Jamie McKinney (Jack Keys 57), Sean O’Kane (Adam McDaid 57), Ryan Creevy (Thomas McDevitt 57), Max Johnson; Darragh Coyle (Mark McGlynn 57), Shane McMonagle, Adam Duffy, Caoimhin Bonnar; Shaunie Bradley, Tiernan Ruddy (Jay Bradley 57).

Referee: Patrick Martin.