AIB Ulster Club JFC final: Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin (Donegal) 3-7 Craigbane (Derry) 1-12
SECOND half goals from Caolan McColgan and Kevin Lynch shot Donegal champions Naomh Pádraig, Uisce Chaoin on their way to a first Ulster title on Saturday at Celtic Park.
The Muff side were left to hang on when Jude Óg Moore hammered Craigbane’s only goal to the net with the last kick.
The Derry champions clawed their way back from eight points down in the semi-final but left their charge to late.
McColgan and Lynch hit a combined 13-25 across their Donegal and Ulster campaigns and they proved the difference between two well-matched sides.
Emotional scenes followed when winning captain Dermot Keaveney finishing off his victory speech by reciting a poem dedicated to the late Evan Craig, their teammate who passed away during the season.
“It was absolutely emotional up there,” goalscorer Caolan McColgan said.
“It was special to see this trophy bringing a smile to a lot of the family’s faces.
“He was a great character in the changing rooms too and he played up until last year. He wasn’t involved this year but he was a huge character and was still there every week supporting us.”
A Jude McLaughlin free opened the scoring before Cormac McColgan levelled matters and the winners were never behind.
The influential Jonathan Toye nosed Uisce Chaoin ahead with a long-range free and he was involved in the game’s first goal.
His 14th minute free dropped into the Craigbane penalty area where it was knocked on before coming down off the post. Drew McKinney was waiting and goalkeeper Ben O’Kane was unable to keep his palmed effort from going across the line.
From then on Craigbane were chasing the game. Lee Moore and Jude Óg Moore hit scores to help settle them. Two Lee Moore frees shaved the margin back to a point by half time, 1-3 to 0-5.
Kevin Lynch came in at the start of the second half, with Rory Moore going back to full-back to pick him up.
The Craigbane net was soon bulging again. A loose Conor McLaughlin fist pass was intercepted by Eunan Mullan who fed Caolan McColgan who blasted to the top corner for another hammer blow.
Points from the Jude McLaughlin, Aaron Sharkey and Eoin Coll was the perfect response for Craigbane, taking the margin back again to two points.
It all caved in on them again. When Cormac McColgan had his shot blocked by half-time sub Niall Feeney, Lynch was on hand to score a sixth championship goal to open a 3-5 to 0-9 lead after 45 minutes.
Jude McLaughlin (2), James McLaughlin and Lee Moore were on target as Craigbane staged a third comeback, leaving just a goal between the sides.
A Kevin Lynch free proved to be the insurance point as Craigbane came charging for a late goal. Niall Feeney’s high ball was won by Lee Moore with Pierce McCloskey picking out Jude Óg Moore who finishing emphatically to the net.
“We never got going,” said Craigbane manager Kevin Moore. “Naomh Pádraig seemed to just get the goals at the right time.
“If the game had gone on another two minutes, we would have definitely got a draw. We thought he just blew it up a wee bit quick, we thought we would have got one more chance.”
Naomh Pádraig: O McCauley; C Kelly, C Harkin, D McInytre; J McCauley; M McCarron, J Toye (0-1 free), J McCallion; E Mullan, Cormac McColgan (0-2); O McIntyre, K Doherty (0-1 free), R Hirrell; D McKinney (1-0), Caolan McColgan (1-1) Subs: K Lynch (1-2, 0-1 free) for J McCauley (HT), R Hoy for McCarron (40), D Keaveney for Doherty (53), Cathal McColgan for O McIntyre (61)
Craigbane: B O’Kane; James McLaughlin (0-1), J McElhinney; Rory Moore; C McLaughlin, O O’Donnell, E Coll (0-1); B Gormley, B Rainey, J Moore (1-1); A Sharkey (0-1), L Crossan, F Mortimer; L Moore (0-4, 0-2 frees), Jude McLaughlin (0-4, 0-1 free) Subs: N Feeney for Crossan (HT), Cahir O’Kane for Sharkey (55), Pierce McCloskey for Rainey (55)
Referee: M Loughran (Tyrone)
