BY RYAN FERRY

BONAGEE United manager Mickey Funston believes his side can compete for the top honours with local rivals Letterkenny Rovers this season and is keen to land the Letterkenny Area Shield of the Brian McCormick Cup.

Rovers dominated the domestic scene last year and were undoubtedly the strongest team in the Donegal Junior League.

Bonagee finished second in the league but were eight points behind.

Funston has replaced Packie Mailey and is happy with the form his team have shown so far.

Letterkenny Rovers have a strong squad again and have already scored seven goals against Kerrykeel ’71 and eight in the win over Swilly Rovers.

However, it’s expected to be much tighter this Sunday and the winners will progress through to the semi-finals of the Brian McCormick Cup.

“It wouldn’t matter who you would play on Sunday, you want to win,” Funston told the Donegal News.

“We’re sportsmen and that’s what you want to do.

“They are no different and we are no different.

“We will be trying to get through to the next round by hook or by crook and so will they.

“I think it’s a really good format. Sometimes local football gets criticised but I think it works well that you can work your way through your region.

“It can be a long season if you lose your first two or three games of the season so this format gives you a chance to have something to play for later in the year if you can win your cup games.

“We are hungry for silverware. They have had three home games in-a-row and we have had three away games but that will stand to us.

“You don’t cry about the things you can’t control, and I’m just focused on my team.”

Funston had a super career with Finn Harps and then brought his usual grit and consistency to the Bonagee team in recent years.

An ACL injury saw him sidelined and while the playing chapter might not be totally closed yet, management is his chief focus now.

It was a surprise when Packie Mailey stepped away after one season in charge but Funston had been helping him out and didn’t want to pass up on the chance of working with the team.

“I was chatting to Jason (Gibson) and Niall (Callaghan) and a couple of the senior players and I was looking at the squad, ‘Jesus we’re only a couple of players short of being proper contenders’.

“And I’ve said to people that I was selfish and I didn’t want someone else coming in because the next time you might be offered the job, it might be a complete re-build.

“I have young children so it might not be the best time for me personally to go and take the job and have a pile of time for it.

“But I was selfish and I just didn’t want this squad to get away from me.

“I don’t think we’re far away from being very successful. Time will tell if I’m the man to take them there but we’ve a talented group of boys.

“They were easy to work with last year and they are hungry.

“I have recruited a couple of good guys and that will help us.”

Tommy McMonagle and Ciaran Kelly boost Bonagee’s defensive options this year while Josh Maxwell is a lively attacker which was needed after Jamie Harris headed to Dergview.

Micheal Doherty is also back on board after a spell with Oldtown Celtic, while Ciaran Quinn and Codey Brogan were with Lagan last season.

Funston feels the new signings will mix in well with the loyal core group of seasoned campaigners at Dry Arch Park.

“I suppose when a manager comes in, there’s going to be a focus on the new signings.

“We have a good core and I met with them to see if they wanted me to take it and how could we progress. I knew the answer anyway because they are Bonagee men.

“Any team that I have been involved with even going back to Harps when we had a core of Donegal men there, you need those boys that the badge really means something to.

“I don’t like naming boys because you’d leave someone out but you have Sean Hume there, Deano (Larkin), Jamie Lynagh, Dan O’Donnell might be an islander but he’s played a lot of games for Bonagee over the last five or six years, and you have ‘Bressie’ as well.

“Aidy McLaughlin has had a brilliant first season managing the Youth team.

“These are proper Bonagee men and they have given me the buy-in.

“There will be tough days away to Keadue and Kildrum and we will need the Bonagee boys to put the shoulder to the wheel.”

Funston’s side eased past Milford 6-1 in their first match of the season before beating Fanad United 2-0 last week with Maxwell and Fintan Hasson grabbing the goals.

“The first couple of games have been ok.

“They can be tricky as you try and get boys up to speed but we have had the right attitude and done well.

“Obviously we conceded in Milford with the first free-kick of the game.

“Collectively we’re not happy about that both players and management but we’re working on it.

“We went to Fanad last week, and we know they were missing three or four because of the gaelic, but any time you go to Fanad and come away with a clean sheet and a win, then everyone is happy.

“People know when they go to Fanad, they know they will get a game.

“We got lucky enough on Sunday. Andrew Nicholls made a great save at 1-0. If that goes 1-1 in a cup game, anything can happen.

“Andrew mightn’t have been that busy but when he was called upon, he was there. I have a really good goalkeeper in Andrew and I’m very pleased with him.”