Peter Thompson scored inside the opening 10 minutes

Linfield's Peter Thompson scored a ninth-minute opener, heading in from Sammy Clingan's corner.

It was 3-0 by the break as Richard Clarke of Newry finished a flowing move on 41 minutes and Dean Shiels of Hibs got another within a minute.

Rory McArdle scored on 78 minutes to complete the comfortable win.

Northern Ireland will now face Romania away and Germany at home in August and September after extending their unbeaten run to an impressive 11 matches.

They needed only nine minutes to extend their lead in the second leg as Thompson got his first goal for his country but his 49th in total in a remarkable season.

Clarke hit the bar before finding the target in the 41st minute after a glorious three-man move involving Thompson and Shiels.

Shiels then got in on the act and should have added a fourth for the team in the 56th minute, only to scuff his effort wide.

Thompson almost made it 50 goals for the season nine minutes later, only for the goalkeeper to get a vital touch.

McArdle sewed things up with his effort taking a deflection before finding the net.