Terenure Rangers have won the Women’s FAI Amateur Cup this afternoon after a Ruth Comberton hattrick, Sarah Ryan brace and Leeann Payne strike saw them dismantle Bonagee United, 6-1.

In front of an encouraging Galway crowd, Terenure flexed some attacking muscle in the first five minutes as Sarah Ryan flashed a shot across the goalposts before Leeann Payne was denied by alert goalkeeping from Bonagee’s Catherine Fletcher.

That though was only delaying the inevitable as a gush of goals came sweeping in, the floodgates opened by Terenure captain Ruth Comerford dispatching a fine finish into the corner after an alert pickout by Payne found her skipper in space, her finish lethal.

Comerford and Siobhan Sweeney then exchanged chances, with the latter correctly ruled out for offside.

But if Bonagee were buoyed by that, Terenure hit them with a swift second goal after a wicked Payne cross hit the post.

Moments later, a clumsy challenge caught Comerford and referee, Eddie Darcy, had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, an invitation Comerford gladly accepted, firing it away with finesse.

Bonagee did receive reward for their running though before the thirty-minute mark, Terenure defender Ciara Smith penalised for a rash tackle and booked for her protestations.

Up stepped Bronagh Gallagher who confidently converted and sprinted across to the delighted Bonagee fans situated in Eamonn Deacy Park.

A moment of magic from Payne though restored the momentum to Terenure, cutting in from the right, her shot caught Fletcher unsighted and soared past the keeper into the net.

The free-flowing nature of the encounter kept going as Comerford lashed narrowly over from range before a rapid Ryan was denied by the offside flag.

Despite that, she and Terenure were not to be denied a fourth, as after just hitting the woodwork, Ryan pounced on an askew clearance by Natalie McFadden, an error the forward ruthlessly punished with a predatory finish from twenty yards out, as Terenure took a 4-1 foothold.

Ryan went closest early in the second half and on fifty-seven minutes, bagged herself a brace after finishing coolly from a long ball which hung in the Eamonn Deacy wind and landed perfectly.

Her teammate, Comerford, beat her to the hattrick however as just after the hour, a scrappy ping-pong landed at the striker’s feet and predatory as ever, she made it 6-1 in style to Terenure.

As the game threatened to fizzle out, Ryan launched a long-range free kick at goal which Fletcher flapped behind before substitute Chelsea Rigley almost snuck on the scoresheet but aimed wide.

Totalling seven goals at least provided fans of both sides with plenty to cheer albeit more so for Rangers!  For Bonagee, a sad ending to a superb cup run but their youngsters will be all the better for such a high-octane experience and can look forward to an FAI Cup encounter with Sligo Rovers.

A Cup success to savour for Terenure, stylish in dismantling a game Bonagee side and especially sweet for defender Paula Dornan, atoning for an U16s Cup Final defeat at this very same venue, years ago when she was teammates with a certain Katie McCabe!

They will hope to go deep again in the FAI Cup, a journey they begin at the end of August when they host WPD Cork City at Richmond Park.