Bonagee eyes still on the prize as USL race goes for the home stretch

Just after the turn of the year, Jason Gibson and Bonagee United could almost touch the prize.

They were leading Cockhill Celtic, the nine-in-a-row Ulster Senior League champions, through a Daragh Ellison goal when Stephen Duffy’s 96th minute equaliser silenced the Dry Arch.

They could’ve opened a four-point lead and a game in hand on Cockhill went awry when a bout of deja vu struck, Damien Duffy of Finn Harps Under-21s arrowing an equalising free-kick into the same net Duffy had done.

Those games were firmly in mind as Bonagee held on to claim a 1-0 win over Derry City Reserves on Thursday night. Tony McNamee’s goal gives Bonagee a healthy seven-point buffer but Cockhill - who they play on the final day of the season - still have two games in hand.

McNamee extends Bonagee’s lead at summit of USL

Tony McNamee struck as Bonagee United defeated Derry City Reserves and open a seven-point lead at the top of the Ulster Senior League

“We’re just delighted because at this stage of the season it’s all about getting the three points,” Gibson said.

“It was hard-fought. They just have so much quality. There is no-one on the Derry team that doesn’t carry quality. Credit to our lads, we limited them to an odd pot shot and nothing clear cut.

“I can’t speak highly enough of our boys, they keep digging in. It’s looking like it’s going to go to the wire. They’re grinding out the wins and that’s what’s important at this stage of the season.”

The season has been far from straightforward.

It tends to be the way in a League that, following Monaghan United’s departure, has just five remaining teams.

The participation of Derry and Harps alongside their League of Ireland underage commitments make life a little more difficulty. Gibson is also the USL’s Chairperson these days.

“I wear two caps here, I suppose, and the nature of playing Harps and Derry is moving to midweek to accommodate them,” he said.

“It doesn’t suit us at times; tonight, we had Daragh Ellison away at the Gaeltacht, Oisin Cannon has had to come up from Dublin and we had a man away on holidays. That’s not a cry, but being down a few bodies makes it tough.

“When you factor all of that in, it was a good night. We hadn’t played since March 16 and Derry have been playing week-in, week-out. We have another game in five days, but that’s all part and parcel of it. We have stayed focussed and kept working hard.”

Deano Larkin had to miss out through a late bout of sickness, but Micheal Doherty made his much-awaited return from injury.

Bonagee lost the steady influence of Mark Harkin during the season following his emigration to Australia, but Gibson will hope for better news on the injury front over the coming weeks.

He said: “Micheal comes in and adds a different dimension. I feel that we have dropped off a wee bit since Christmas, but Micheal is a massive player for us. Gareth Breslin is another massive player and we’ve had him for very little game time, but he’s not far away either."