Donegal Women's League Round-up: Bonagee take all three points in local derby

Senior League 

Bonagee United 3-1 Letterkenny Rovers 

Both teams started well but it was Bonagee who applied the early pressure with good link-up play on a few occasions between Deborah Kerrigan and Aisling Mugan on the right side. 

Bonagee gave away a free kick on the edge of the box. It was Erin Doherty who took charge and converted it into the left side of the net. 

It wasn't long before Bonagee levelled with Caitlin Fletcher scoring a nice goal coming in from the right. Shortly after this, Bonagee was awarded a corner and after some confusion in the Rovers’ box the ball landed to Eimear Sweeney who made no mistake with her finish. 

There was all to play for the in the second half with Bonagee having the better chances. Catherine Frier and Aisling Mugan dominated the midfield and Zara Shortt having a brilliant game on the left.  

Bonagee got their third of the night when Shortt played the ball inside to Natalie McFadden who had space to run into and played a nice pass into Chloe Creevy who finished well for her first senior goal. 

A good game of football from both sides. Bonagee now looks forward to an away trip to Cabinteely from Dublin on Sunday in the All-Ireland amateur shield semi-final. 

Under 16 

Group 1 

Drumbar 2-1 Illistrin 

This was a tightly contested affair with two evenly matched teams going at it hammer and tongs from the off.  

Both sides came close on several occasions before Drumbar won an indirect free kick which was played back to Shaelagh Brannigan. She made no mistake drilling a low finish into the corner to make it 1-0 to the home side.  

Both sides continued strongly before Drumbar won a free kick on the edge of the area. Sarah Colhoun stepped up and curled her shot past the keeper to make it 2-0 at the break. 

The second half continued in the same vein with both sides creating chances. Eventually, Illistrin worked the ball to Sophie McLaughlin on the right wing. She swung in a dipping shot which deceived the keeper to make it 2-1.  Both sides continued to press but Drumbar saw out the game to claim all three points. 

Bonagee United 4-1 Ballyraine 

Bonagee's Cara Shiels got her side off the mark quickly with the help of Maria McLaughlin, while Ballyraine's goalkeeper was tested throughout the first half with a great performance.  

The second half started with Ellen Temple increasing Bonagee's lead, however Ballyraine came back quick with a solid goal leaving the score 2-1.  

Bonagee's Emma Kelly got her side's third goal with Ellen Temple getting her second, leaving the final score at 4-1 to Bonagee.  

Raphoe Town 1-2 Milford United 

There was no joy for the Raphoe girls as an on-form Milford took the win on Friday night. 

Milford had a greater hunger with a wide cross from the right sailing in to go one up early in the first half. The Raphoe girls came out in the second half with more composure but were hit on the counter to make it 2 -0.  

As usual the girls kept going and worked hard and started to create chances in the Milford box. Eventually, they retrieved one back through Alicia McCullagh. Time not on their side now as they battled to find the equaliser, but it was not to be as Milford took all three points. 

Finn Valley WFC 2-2 Gweedore Utd 

Finn Valley WFC got back to the second phase of the league campaign on Wednesday with a home game against Gweedore Utd.  

The Valley girls kicked off playing against the blustery breeze and both teams took a while to find their rhythm of play, but 15 minutes into the contest Valley took the lead through Ella Udoku.  

From the restart Gweedore came more into the game using the elements to their advantage and with the Valley girls defending deeply for long periods, the determined Gweedore girls got their equaliser through Rodgers.  

After drawing level, the incentive was with the visitors, but after a short time, they took the lead through Rogers again going into the break capitalising on a defensive error.   

Valley seemed to step up a gear and the advantage swung in their favour, coming close a few times. Valley, pushing and working hard for the equaliser, got their rewards when the Gweedore keeper failed to hold the Valley effort and Udoku was quickest to react to bundle the ball into the visitor’s goal for the equaliser. 

Under 14 

Group 1 

Bonagee United 1-0 Milford United 

Bonagee welcomed Milford United to Dry Arch Park to start off phase two of the U-14 Donegal Women's League and it was the home side who set the tempo with Ava Harkin and Lillygrace Harvey testing Megan McGinley in the Milford net.  

Bonagee continued to press, but the Milford defence was hard to break down. As the game went on Milford grew into the game with Darcy Nash doing well for Milford. The game opened up more in the second half with Cari Callaghan McElwaine and Shannon Sibbald doing well to keep the Milford attack out.  

Bonagee’s pressure paid off on the fiftieth-minute mark when Isla Larkin got on the end of an Ellen Temple cross inside the box. Bonagee had chances through Kate Gillespie and Tara McDaid but Megan McGinley refused to be beaten again.  

That's how the game finished with Isla Larkin impressing in the middle for Bonagee and Megan McGinley with a Player of the Match performance in the Milford goal. 

Group 2 

Ballyraine 2-1 Lagan Harps 

Ballyraine got off to a winning start in the second phase of the league against Lagan Harps at Orchard Grove.  

Lagan took the lead on 21 minutes with a well-worked goal. Treghan Doherty scored after a great one-two which opened up the Ballyraine defence. Grace McGlynn took matters into her own hands and scored with a good shot from 20 metres out in the 27th minute to equalise for the home side.  

Ballyraine dominated for large parts of the second half with Eadoian Kennedy coming close on several occasions but Lagan was always very dangerous on the break.  

The winning goal came on the 54th minute when Grace McGlynn found space for herself to rifle in another shot from distance. Both sides had chances later in the game, but the points went to the Letterkenny side. 

Convoy Arsenal 2-3 Kilmacrennan Celtic 

Probably the unluckiest final scoreline so far this season for Convoy Arsenal’s U-14 girls who took on Kilmacrennan, with the home side having five first-team players missing, between holidays or injuries. 

Kilmacrennan went ahead early in the game by two goals which meant the Convoy ladies needed to get their heads in the game.  

With Grace McBride forced off through injury, all the girls dug so deep and gave 100pc asked of them.  

Convoy brought the game to 2-1 when Amelia Bonner got her foot on a pass in from Jenna Doherty. Not too much later, a beautiful ball played up from the midfield line by birthday girl Leah Doonan found Jenna who converted to another goal. This brought the scores level going in at half time. 

The second half was a very well contested battle with immense fighting for possession and a few scuffles here and there but in the very last minute of the game Kilmac went ahead with a superbly taken corner.  

Goalie Rihea Parke pulled off some incredible saves throughout the entire game and goes away deflated feeling the ball was taken from her hands.  

Group 3 

Glenree 2-0 Swilly Rovers 

The first half was evenly matched and both teams came close to breaking the deadlock but both goalkeepers were alert to every attack. 

The first goal came on 40 minutes when Tara Coyle sprung the offside trap and cooly slotted home.  

Coyle doubled her tally on 50 minutes when great team play from out of defence linked up several of our girls and Coyle chipped the keeper from 10 yards. 

The Ramelton side never gave up and they came close in getting back into the game on a few occasions and their commitment and eagerness to compete is a credit to their club.