Playoff for Bonagee as Cappry Rovers relegated

Cappry Rovers have been relegated from the Brian McCormick Sports Premier Division after a narrow defeat against Bonagee United at Cappry Park. 

Cappry Rovers 0 Bonagee United 1

Bonagee may yet join them in Division One and a promotion/relegation playoff against Milford United in Ballyare next weekend will decide which league they play in during the 2023/24 season.

Scoreless at the interval, Eamonn Cannon netted the only goal of the game less than ten minutes into the second-half. Jordan Gallagher had the chance to rubber stamp the win late on but his spot kick was well stopped by Eoin Gallen.

While the league title was wrapped up a couple of weeks ago, the relegation battle in the Premier Division would go right down to the last minute of the season. 

Four teams found themselves in the perilous position. Cappry Rovers and Bonagee United were two of those teams with the former out of the drop zone prior to kick-off. 

During a quiet opening half hour, clear cut chances evaded both sides. Gallen was equal to a close range header from Aidan McLaughlin inside ten minutes while Bonagee bodies got in the way of shots at the other end from Conor McDaid and Jamie Keegan. 

Both sides fired wide on a couple of occasions as chances were few and far between but with five minutes left to go in the half, Bonagee found the back of the net. Aidan McLaughlin got a nice flick on in the centre for Aaron Wasson to calmly tuck home but his celebrations were cut short due an offside call.

With a stalemate at the interval, the state of play in the other matches suited neither Cappry or Bonagee as the former occupied the playoff spot while the latter sat in the quicksand. 

Just over five minutes into the second-half, Cappry and Bonagee swapped places in the league as the latter scored a vital opening goal.

Jordan Gallagher whipped in a corner from the left and it was kept alive at the back post by Aidan McLaughlin and that touch allowed Eamonn Cannon to head home from close range.

This was a game of fine margins and concrete chances continued to be difficult to create for both sides as the clock ticked away.

Final day drama was always on the cards and in the final ten minutes, that chaos was served up.

After Peter Carr went mightily close from a narrow angle, Bonagee kept up the pressure and a shot from the edge of the area from Coady Brogan was blocked by Patrick McNulty and a spot kick was awarded for handball which left many of those in Cappry colours quite irate.

Jordan Gallagher stepped up and aimed for the bottom right corner with Eoin Gallen making a superb low save to deny him.

That penalty save kept Cappry in with a chance and that final opportunity fell to Patrick McNulty in stoppage time but his close range header was parried to safety by John Carr.

The hosts did have a couple more set-pieces in a lengthy period of injury time but Bonagee held on to secure their status in the Premier Division as former champions Cappry fell through the trap door and into the second tier. 

Cappry Rovers: Eoin Gallen; Michael Carroll, Conor Doherty, Benny Bonner, Gary Wilson; Aaron Kelly, Jack Burke McBride (Alan Gethins 58), Conor McDaid, Patrick McNulty; Jamie Murray, Jamie Keegan.

Bonagee United: John Carr; Coady Brogan, Taylor Russell, Darren Hunter, Eoghan Doherty; Lee McMonagle, Jordan Gallagher, Eamonn Cannon, Aaron Wasson; Aidan McLaughlin, Peter Carr. 

Referee: Mick Lagan.