Bonagee Utd manager Peter Moran has called on his squad to summons the same unwavering belief shown by the committee at Dry Arch Park.
It has been a big period for the club, who last Friday night celebrated the official launch of their new development, including the installation of floodlights at Dry Arch Park.
This Sunday, Bonagee host four-in-a-row 4 Lanterns Ulster Senior League champions and current leaders Cockhill Celtic with Moran’s men looking to go level with Gavin Cullen’s pace-setters.
“If our players had the same mentality as the committee at Bonagee United, we’d be a hell of a lot closer,” Moran said.
“Where they have taken the club to is immense. We have absolutely brilliant facilities that are the best in the county, if not the country at our level.
“We need to realise that and see what the club has given to us. We need to put that on the pitch now.
“We’ve had big days, won a Cup, won a Shield and came second in the League, but that doesn’t matter. Until you become a winner and start repaying that, it doesn’t matter.”
Cockhill have hit 19 goals in their last three games and are really showing their strength these days.
They beat Swilly Rovers 7-1 at Swilly Park on Sunday to move three points clear at the top.
Despite there being only four games played, Cockhill are, following the latest sequence of results, now the firm favourites to land the prize again. However, Moran would love his squad to have a say in that.
“It’s nice to be near the top of the table with a side like Cockhill,” said Moran, whose team is looking forward to an FAI Intermediate Cup third round date at Edenderry Town later in the month.
“It’s a top-of-the-table game, but we’re only just gone four games of the season.
“They are consistently good. They punish you for mistakes and they’re clinical. I saw them against Swilly and every time Swilly made a mistake they put the ball in the net.
“They have the capability of doing that to anyone. Once the heads drop, they keep going. They’re so ruthless.
“It’s a massive test for us, as a squad, to stay in there, but we’ll be bringing them to Dry Arch to give them a game. Much as we respect them, we’ll be going out to get three points and close the gap.”
Bonagee lost 7-0 against Derry City Reserves at the start of October and Moran put hard, searching questions to his team. He’s been pleased at the response.
Moran said: “We sat down after that Derry game. It wasn’t just that they beat us, it was how they were allowed to beat us.
“Some of our men just switched off. We talked about it all and since then they’ve been superb.
“It’s difficult to get players on board and to keep them on board, but our attitude has been immense since then and I can’t see them being like that again.
“They just seemed to feel sorry for themselves that day. That’s part of football too, but you have to learn from that.”
Fixtures
Sunday, November 13, 2pm
Bonagee United v Cockhill Celtic Referee – Marty McGarrigle; assistants – Marty Quinn and Dessie McLaughlin
Derry City Reserves v Fanad United Referee – Paul Duddy
Swilly Rovers v Finn Harps Reserves Referee – Michael Connolly
TOP GOALSCORERS
Cathal Farren (Derry City Reserves) 5
Mark Moran (Cockhill Celtic) 4
Aidan McLaughlin (Bonagee United) 3
Gerard McLaughlin (Cockhill Celtic) 3
Max Karner (Derry City Reserves) 3
Darren McElwaine (Letterkenny Rovers) 3
INTERNATIONAL CALL-UP
CONGRATULATIONS to Ronan Curtis of Derry City, who has been named on the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad for a training camp this week that will include friendlies against Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The 20-year-old St Johnston man had a superb season with Derry City’s first team under Kenny Shiels and has been rewarded with a call-up to Noel King’s Under-21 squad.
Curtis played with Kildrum Tigers at schoolboy level before he moved to Swilly Rovers and then onto Derry City and, having graduated from the Candystripes’ Ulster Senior League team, stepped into the first team ranks.
WELL DONE, GARBHAN
EVERYONE associated with the Ulster Senior League would like to congratulate Cockhill Celtic’s Garbhan Friel on winning the Ulster Senior light-heavyweight title on Friday night.
As well as being a talented striker in the USL, Friel also stars in the ring and defeated Cathal Browne in the final in Belfast.
DELEGATE MEETING
A DELEGATE meeting for Ulster Senior League clubs will be held on Monday night next, November 14, in the Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, at 8pm. All clubs are asked to be represented.
