AIDAN MCCAULEY’S marked his Bonagee United debut with the match winner against Fanad United in a sometimes-feisty opening Ulster Senior League Cup game at Dry Arch Park.
Bonagee United 1 Fanad United 0
McCauley struck on 66 minutes to give Peter Moran’s team the win in a close encounter.
It was a goal Bonagee eventually steered home and one that Fanad will reflect that was avoidable.
When Francesco Crisco whipped in a cross towards Aidan McLaughlin, the Bonagee striker saw his header tipped onto the crossbar by Fanad goalkeeper Shane Graham.
McLaughlin’s follow-up was hooked away by Fanad player-manager Arthur Lynch but, finally, new signing McCauley applied the finish.
Former Derry City player McCauley, had been recruited by Peter Moran and it was an impressive first outing for him on a day when these two could both take encouragement from improved displays.
Fanad went close on the half-hour when Matthew Crossan’s delightful outside-of-the-boot pass slipped Keelin McElwaine in. McElwaine got there ahead of Gareth Wade and touched inside for Davitt Walsh but, leaning back, the Fanad captain couldn’t get his shot on-target.
Fanad United
Crossan, recently signed from Finn Harps, was included in the Fanad engine room, with Gary Gorman and Kieran Gorman also included from the off.
Lynch was missing Samus ‘Nanny’ Friel and Seamus ‘Coshia’ Friel, who played for Gaeil Fhánada last night in the Intermediate Championship and who didn’t feature in the squad here.
[adrotate group=”70″]Bonagee included new signings Wade, McCauley, Crisco and Shane O’Doherty and it was they who seemed the more likely early on.
Fanad had gone close in the opening moments when McElwaine fired over the top after Gary Gorman’s flick on provided the invitation, but Bonagee asked a few questions of Fanad’s rearguard, marshalled by Lynch and Kieran Gorman.
Darren Hunter headed at Graham and Dean Larkin was denied by Graham from Taylor Russell’s cross, the Fanad ‘keeper stretching to make the save at the expense of a corner.
When Shane O’Doherty got free down the left and clipped in a cross, it took McLaughlin by surprise and his downward header didn’t force Graham into action.
[adrotate group=”37″]Lynch flicked over the crossbar from a fine deliver by Marty McAteer as Fanad went in search of something before Bonagee had two penalty appeals in quick succession waved away by Marty McGarrigle, the referee.
First, McCauley went down just inside the left edge of the box, but McGarrigle shook the head. His reaction was similar when McLaughlin appeared to have been fouled by Kieran Gorman, but Fanad survived.
Bonagee could have doubled the lead when, from a long ball over the top, Larkin beat Graham in a race for possession, but he lobbed over.
[adrotate group=”46″]Walsh and Crisco had chances at either end, but couldn’t convert and Bonagee left with the points from a game that concluded with the sides entangled in a heated coming together.
Bonagee United: Gareth Wade; Gareth Breslin, Darek Frankowski, Darren Hunter, Taylor Russell; Francesco Crisco, Chris Moran (Jamie Lynagh, half-time), Aidan McCauley, Dean Larkin, Shane O’Doherty (Kennedy Boachie-Ansah 51); Aidan McLaughlin (Kyle Davis 84).
Fanad United: Shane Graham; Declan McGarvey, Kieran Gorman, Arthur Lynch, Conor Blaney; Keelin McElwaine (John McGarvey 81), Matthew Crossan, Marty McAteer, Killian Gallagher; Gary Gorman (Shaun McGarvey 58), Davitt Walsh.
Referee: Marty McGarrigle.
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