Bonagee United 2
Rathkeale AFC 1
Bonagee United are in the hat for the next round of the FAI Junior Cup after coming from behind to defeat Rathkeale AFC.
After a scoreless first half, the away side took the lead via the head of Jack Keogh but that was quickly cancelled out as Kyle Martin stepped off the bench to score. Matthew McLaughlin netted the winner shortly after, and Bonagee United will play their next game in a few weeks time.
Bonagee United welcomed Limerick Desmond League outfit Rathkeale AFC to Dry Arch Park on Sunday afternoon, and as is the case in many cup ties, this FAI Junior Cup had a cagey start.
Neither side was giving up an inch, and concrete chances were absent as the minutes slowly ticked away.
Michael Funston snatched at one effort around the quarter of an hour mark, while Rathkeale AFC did little to test Andrew Nicholls for a huge chunk of the first half, as he only had a few crosses and set-pieces to deal with.
Shortly after the midway stage, Bonagee United began to get into some decent positions, as Adam Rodgers forced the visiting offside trap into action. Beyond the half hour, the lively Rodgers was involved in two of the best opportunities for the home side. One delivery into the area was flicked on by Matthew McLaughlin in the centre and a low drive from Micheál Doherty was cleared away by Andrew White.
Moments later, Doherty floated a ball over the top of the defence, and Rodgers got the faintest touch as Ronan O’Carroll raced off his line, but the ball bounced over the unguarded net.
Joshua Maxwell had the last chance of half a few minutes prior to the whistle with an effort that fizzed wide.
Just a few minutes into the second-half, the visitors took the lead. A long throw-in from the right side by Mikey Morrissey was flicked on by Eoin Barry and Jack Keogh was at the near post to direct a header beyond the reach of Andrew Nicholls.
Prior to the hour, Bonagee United hit back as a substitute scored with his first touch.
On the pitch a matter of seconds, Kyle Martin made an untracked run at the back post as Maxwell crossed the ball in from the right, and after McLaughlin had missed the first contact, it was a simple tap in for Martin to equalise.
McLaughlin had an attempt saved in the moments after the leveller, and just a few short minutes later, he headed Bonagee United into the lead.
Thomas McMonagle lofted the ball over the backline, and a first time cross from the left from Micheál Doherty was buried at the back post by McLaughlin.
Rathkeale AFC lumped the ball forward in the final moments in a bid to force extra time as Fintan McNamara fizzed an effort narrowly over the bar, and Bonagee United were more than content to put their foot through the ball at every opportunity and that helped them over the line in stoppage time.
Teams
Bonagee United: Andrew Nicholls; Blake Meredith, Eoghan Doherty, Thomas McMonagle, Ciaran Kelly; Gareth Harkin, Michael Funston, Adam Rodgers, Joshua Maxwell; Matthew McLaughlin, Micheál Doherty. Subs: Sean Hume and Kyle Martin for Meredith and Rodgers (58 mins), Codey Brogan for Funston (72 mins), Deano Larkin for Maxwell (86 mins)
Rathkeale AFC: Ronan O’Carroll; Bryan Meade, Mikey Morrissey, Eoin Barry, Sean O’Shea; Andrew White, Fintan McNamara, Alan White, Jack Keogh; Jack Hennessy, John Fitzgerald. Subs: Patrick Wilmott and Gary Enright for O’Shea and Fitzgerald (70 mins), Jack Geoghegan for White (75 mins), Thomas McArdle for Keogh (88 mins).
Referee: Vincent McLoughlin