TONIGHT’S Ulster Senior League Cup semi-final between Bonagee United and Finn Harps Reserves was abandoned.
Bonagee United 1 Finn Harps Reserves 0
(Match abandoned after 70 minutes)
An unsavoury fracas that spilled out to the car park at Dry Arch Park forced the abandonment.
Finn Harps midfielder Jack Doherty and Sean Hume had each been shown red cards following an incident.
As the players left the pitch area and headed for the dressing rooms, the red mist came down again.
Tempers boiled on the pitch following the incident.
As chaos ensued, referee Vincent McLoughlin blew the final whistle.
The matter will now be referred to the Ulster Senior League’s disciplinary committee to adjudicate.
Five minutes beforehand, Bonagee took the lead thanks to a superb finish by Gareth Breslin.
The goal had energised a previously flat Bonagee, who had played second fiddle for much of the night.
The night began with a real zip and Harps were a whisker from the lead when Ronan Gallagher pounced on a mistake only to drill a powerful shot off the base of Eugene Ferry’s post.
Dylan Woods might have opened the scoring for Harps but his header, from a deep Jack Doherty free, looped over the crossbars
Deano Larkin had a big chance for the home side five minutes before the break.
The ball fell invitingly, but his attempt from outside the box was was off target.
In first-half injury time, Luke Rudden tried his luck from distance but failed to trouble Ferry.
With Harps’ first team back in action tomorrow with a trip to Shamrock Rovers, Tommy Canning was short of any senior strengtheners for this one.
Harps came down Lurgybrack with a squad made up of the under-19 squad who begin their season in late August.
Harps burst from the blocks in the second half and Ferry did well to hold onto a testing header by Rudden.
Woods caught sight of the target after being fed by Doherty, but he fired narrowly wide.
Rudden thought he’d opened the scoring when he connected with a superb cross by the ever-dangerous Lee McLaughlin, but Bonagee gasped with relief as the ball flew past the post.
Bonagee United: Eugene Ferry, Jamie Lynagh, Mark Harkin, Gareth Breslin, Michael Funston, Dan O’Donnell, Ryan Rainey, Deano Larkin (Sean Hume 59), Jordan Armstrong, Garbhan Grant (Niall Grace 59), Micheál Doherty.
Finn Harps Reserves: Adrian McLaughlin, Lee McLaughlin, Darragh Ellison, Stephen Black, Joel Bradley-Walsh, Jack Doherty, Nathan Logue, Dylan Woods, Luke Rudden, Ronan Gallagher, Conor Black.
Referee: Vincent McLoughlin.
