Bonagee United defeat Gweedore United on their junior football return

Jordan Armstrong and Deano Larkin scored the second half goals as Bonagee United kicked-off the new Donegal League season on a winning note.

Bonagee United 2 Gweedore United 0

Armstrong and Larkin, two survivors from Bonagee’s now-defunct Ulster Senior League squad, netted to see off newly-promoted Gweedore United in the Temple Domestic Appliances Division 1.

Nine minutes into the second half, Armstrong - from close to the touchline on the left-hand side - sailed in a testing free kick. Armstrong, back again in the Bonagee colours, seemed to have taken aim with the intent of picking out a team-mate at the rear, but the ball dropped inside the far post, taking most of the attendance by surprise.

Eleven minutes from time, Larkin headed home after being picked out by a pin-point Aaron Wasson cross.

Following the demise of the Ulster Senior League - the death knell finally sounding this summer on the intermediate grade - Bonagee’s first team returned to the Donegal Junior League’s ranks. With Bonagee suffering relegation from the Premier Division after a play-off defeat by Milford in May, Jason Gibson’s side - who hosted Shelbourne here in the FAI Cup a year ago last week - were returned to the First Division.

The summer’s months have seen the likes of Gareth Harkin, Jack Parke, Conor Black, Stephen Black and Micheal Doherty bid adieu to Bonagee.

Bonagee were on top in the first half, but their frustrations appeared to grow by the minute as chances came and gone.

Larkin was denied by Craig in the 10th minute and the visiting net minder saved from Armstrong, who was picked out by a clever dink forward by Larkin.

As the first half came to a close, Taylor Russell and Michael Funston combined well down the right. The latter’s cross was met by Larkin, whose header beat Craig only to cannon off the crossbar.

Craig saved from Larkin in added time and Bonagee, for all their final-third possession, had nothing to show for their endeavours.

Gweedore are back in Division 1 for the first time since 2016 and they were well in this for long spells. Mark Fadden drew a fine save from John Roulstone in the opening minutes of the second half, the Bonagee ‘keeper getting down to his right to turn away well.

After Armstrong popped Bonagee ahead, Roulstone had to get out to save at the feet of Gweedore’s Fionna Coyle, a former Republic of Ireland underage international.

On the hour, it took the intervention of Shaun McFadden to thwart the advances of Aidan McLaughlin. After Mark McFadden whizzed a free kick past the target at one end, Craig turned over from a speculative effort by Larkin, who later put the game beyond reach of the Carrickboyle men.

Late in the night, Craig pushed away a shot from Ultan McMonagle, but by then i

Bonagee United: John Roulstone, Taylor Russell, Eoghan Doherty, Sean Hume, Kacper Zkrzatek, Dan O’Donnell, Michael Funston (Ultan McMonagle 79), Jordan Armstrong (Fintan Hassan 85), Aidan McLaughlin (Codey Brogan 66), Deano Larkin, Aaron Wasson (Ricky Guntrip 85).

Gweedore United: Oran Craig, Shaun McFadden, Jamie McGee (Padraig McFadden 84), Conor McFadden, Dan O’Donnell, Michael Mulhern (Ownie Gallagher 84), Fionnan Coyle, Cathal Gillespie, Ciaran McFadden, Stephen ‘Doyle’ McFadden (Ronan O’Donnell 66), Mark McFadden.

Referee: Colm McConigley.