Bonagee United aiming to maintain high standards - Bronagh Gallagher 

Bronagh Gallagher says Bonagee United can’t afford to let the levels they’ve become accustomed to slip as they prepare for the new 2024 Donegal Woman’s League. 

The Dry Arch girls are back-to-back double winners the past two seasons but with Chris McNulty stepping down to end his seven-year tenure in the dugout, Bonagee are yet to fill that void. 

Last term they also went the whole way to the FAI Woman’s Amateur Cup final but found the going much too tough against Terenure Rangers as the Dublin heavyweights took the title on a 6-1 scoreline. 

Still, reaching such a prestigious showpiece like that was a superb achievement in itself. The road back has already started with Bonagee overcoming local rivals Letterkenny Rovers last week on a comfortable 4-1 scoreline.

Gallagher (23) grabbed a brace in that outing but with a trip to Salthill Devon next up, this Sunday, the side’s main goal-getter knows that a step up in class awaits down there (kick-off, 2pm).

“It’s a huge step up, without a doubt,”  said Gallagher, a Sports and Exercise student at ATU Donegal. 

“Last year was such an achievement in its own right. This year, and because of that experience, we are probably demanding more of ourselves. We want to push on. 

“They are at home so you have to factor in all of that. We’re travelling down on the day so we have to make sure we’re fresh and ready to go from the off. 

“We’ve young girls stepping up to the senior ranks so that brings new energy. Because we have been dominant in Donegal, it’s something that you have to be ready for. You can’t really afford to start slowly or feel your way into games in this competition”. 

Bonagee will once again have Rovers, Drumbar United and Raphoe for company in their own domestic league. They’ll be big favourites to hold onto their title. 

But given the baron and lean years previously suffered, they don’t take their stranglehold on Donegal for granted. 

“We’ve loved how things have improved and even last year, there was press and different events out here because of the momentum we’ve built up. The club has really bought into the women’s game. 

“We’ve been lucky that we’ve had that spotlight. The team has worked really hard and the girls have earned that. So we want to build with the younger generation coming up. Last weekend, during the win over Rovers, a brilliant crowd turned up. 

“It’s taken time to get to that point. So we don’t want to see all that endeavour unravel. The four-team league, of course you’d like to see more girls and more sides get involved. 

“So hopefully we’ll see that over the next few years. Donegal produces good football players, they always have. So it’s about giving them a platform to go and show that”.