BONAGEE United scored five goals in a blistering first half to swat aside Ulster Senior League new boys Monaghan United at Dry Arch Park on Saturday.
Bonagee United 5 Monaghan United 0
Aidan McLaughlin and Jordan Armstrong each netted twice with Michael Funston also on the mark for Jason Gibson’s side.
McLaughlin, back in the USL ranks with Bonagee again following a couple of seasons with the club’s Donegal League team, struck after only 35 seconds – and Bonagee never looked back.
Monaghan were buoyed by a superb 2-0 win over Letterkenny Rovers last weekend, but this game was gone from David Ballintine’s men before they had time to begin.
Bonagee opened the scoring in the first minute as McLaughlin got ahead of Mark Byrne, the Monaghan goalkeeper, to steer in from Jamie Lynagh’s cross.
Lynagh fired at Byrne soon after when he connected to Micheál Doherty’s ball in while Byrne got out to thwart McLaughlin as he got onto the end of a Tony McNamee pass.
Bonagee doubled the lead when Armstrong fed Funston and the former Finn Harps star clipped beyond Byrne.
McLaughlin and Armstrong were included from the off as Gibson changed things up following Wednesday’s narrow 2-1 win over Finn Harps Under-21s.
McLaughlin almost had a second in the 25th minute. Doherty’s searching ball was picked up by McLaughlin but, after getting past Byrne, Jamie McCarey blocked at the near post.
From the resulting corner, however, it became three-nil as Armstrong netted.
McLaughlin bagged his second with a cool finish in the 41st minute and, just before half-time, Armstrong superbly found the top corner.
McNamee, who scored twice in Wednesday’s win, forced a strong save from Byrne in the second half.
Bonagee had their feet off the pedal somewhat in part two, but kept the sheet clean.
Monaghan kept going and sub Mantis Zalikas went closest for the visitors, firing over the crossbar late on.
