Michael Funston keen to add to Bonagee’s silverware haul

When Michael Funston returned to Bonagee United in 2017, he talked of wanting to ‘show progress’.

Funston left Finn Harps after making 335 appearances and scoring 33 goals.

His return to Dry Arch Park heralded a new dawn and the appointment of Jason Gibson as manager the following summer served to take Bonagee from pretenders to contenders.

The winning of the North West of Ulster Intermediate Cup last Friday, beating Maiden City 3-2 in Newbuildings, was a third Cup won under Gibson with the Donegal News USL League Cup and Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup captured in previous seasons.

On Thursday evening at Maginn Park, Bonagee - who were USL runners-up this season - look to add to the haul when they face Aileach in the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup decider (7.30pm). The League Cup final, against Monaghan United, is also coming on the horizon.

“It’s been a long season,” Funston told Donegal Live.

Aileach FC in search of Knockalla Cup glory

Emmet McLaughlin's side aim to become the first junior team in 13 years to win the Knockalla Caravans Senior Cup

“We huffed and puffed in the league. We didn’t take the league to the last day, which we were really disappointed with. We’ve shown that we’re a good side, though. To get one in the bag is really important.

“We’ve won a Cup for the last three seasons. We have two cup finals left. It has already been a really good season. If someone had said this to us at the start of the season, we’d have taken it.

“We are disappointed with the League, but Cockhill set the mantle. Someone has to rise to that - and hopefully we’re on the right path.”

Funston opened the scoring in the North West of Ulster final, beating Maiden City goalkeeper Ray Kelly with a sweeping, ambitious effort from 35 yards in the third minute.

“It just kind of rolled to me on the left foot,” Funston recalled.

“I saw the ‘keeper was struggling and I just hit it. With the left foot, it could have gone anywhere, but it sailed in.”

Deano Larkin and Darragh Ellison were on target in a 3-2 win that was only made save when Packie Mailey thwarted Johnny Robb with a block in added-on time.

Funston said: “When they scored the second, it was disappointing. Sometimes when you’re trying to hang on, your mentality shifts and they threw everything at us.

“Packie came on and made a massive block. We said beforehand that it would take everybody and that showed it. That moment was massive. It was every bit as important as any of the goals.

“They were a really young side and they took the energy. We scored really quickly and the tempo of the game just lifted. We actually rode a bit of a wave at 1-0 - they had a guy who hit the inside of the post with a great strike.”

Mailey, Tony McNamee and Gareth Harkin - all former team-mates of Funston at Harps - have given Bonagee real experience in key areas and the Dry Arch men created a little history in winning the inaugural final of the cross-border competition.

Funston said: “I actually said beforehand that ‘it doesn’t exist until you go and win it’, so now it exists! We’re the first team to have won it and it’s nice to have done that. It’s a wee bit of reward.”

Thursday’s opponents, Aileach, look to bridge a 13-year gap this week.

The Lakesiders, narrow runners-up in the Jackie Crossan Premier Division this season, are aiming to be the first junior team since Clonmany Shamrocks in 2009 to win the Knockalla. Kildrum Tigers of the Donegal League broke the mould for junior teams in 1998 when upsetting Fanad United in the final.

“It would be massive,” manager Emmet McLaughlin - whose squad includes former Bonagee players Tommy McMonagle and Darren McMonagle - told Donegal Live. “It’s brilliant to be involved in this final. The opposition here is a lot stronger and it’s a testament to the work these lads have put in over the years.

“The boys have been ultra consistent and they fully deserve to be here.”