Ardara overcome Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin to make U-21 B decider 

Ardara are through to the U-21 B final but they certainly made hard work of it against Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin in Lifford on Sunday. 

Having opened up a double-figure lead going into the last 20 minutes at the weekend, the Inishowen side dug in and scaled that deficit down to just a single green flag nearing the hour mark. 

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But a red card for Cormac Kelly at 1-10 to 1-6 really dented Naomh Padraig momentum going into the last ten minutes. 

And even though six minutes of added time were played, they’d trouble the scoreboard operator just once more before the end as Ardara progressed on. 

In a frantic opening quarter, where both sides made good inroads but were wasteful with their end product, pairs of white flags were raised at either end. 

Gavin Sweeney opened the scoring for the south west outfit on six minutes while wing-back Josh Malley doubled that advantage soon after. 

As the wides continued to be swapped, Naomh Padraig were off the mark on nine minutes through a James McCauley free. 

Moving onto the second quarter and the teams were all level thanks to another free, this time courtesy of Cillian Doyle. 

Eoghan ‘Ban’ McNelis then arched Ardara back to the fore and with Michael Mulreany also on target, the gap widened to two once more at 0-4 to 0-2. 

Good link-up play from Muff duo Darragh Doherty and Jason Lynch allowed the latter in on goal from the right-hand side. 

But with the angle against him, the best he could do was drag his effort right across Cian McConnell’s goalline. 

Eight minutes out from the break and Ardara upped the ante as Sweeney landed a fre and McNelis also cleared the crossbar. 

And right before the short whistle, McNelis lamped over a brilliant two-pointer to eventually send Ardara in 0-8 to 0-3 up at the midpoint. 

Ardara stole a real march three minutes after the restart when McNelis’ speculative effort dropped short and with Gavin Sweeney reacting quickest, he gobbled up the breaking ball to fire to the net. 

The same player then landed successive frees as the Pearse Memorial Park outfit jumped ten points clear. 

But credit to Naomh Padraig, they refused to fold. Jason Lynch would open their second-half account on 41 minutes but it was Andrew McCarron’s huge two-pointer that really reignited belief in those around him. 

And when Ardara coughed up the cheapest of turnovers around the middle third, Naomh Padaig flooded forward with Oisin McInyte teeing up Eamon Doherty to goal. 

That left it 1-10 to 1-6 with a quarter of an hour to go. But Muff hopes were dealt a real blow down the stretch as full-back Kelly was shown a straight red card for an incident along the sideline in front of the Ardara bench. 

Still, Naomh Padraig would hit the post with two desperate efforts for two-pointers before the end while Ardara spurned three frees from attractive positions. 

James McCauley would snatch one more point for Naomh Padraig. But in the end, Ardara’s three-point cushion remained intact as they now progress on to meet Glenfin in the final. 

Ardara scorers: Gavin Sweeney 1-4, 3f; Eoghan McNelis 0-4,1tp, 1f; Josh Malley and Michael Mulreany 0-1 each. 

Naomh Padraig scorers: Eamon Doherty 1-0; James McCauley 0-2, 2f; Andrew McCarron 0-2, 1tp; Jason Lynch, Cillian Doyle and Peter McLaughlin 0-1 each. 

Ardara: Cian McConnell; Charlie Bennett, Johnnie McGonagle, Ben McNelis; Josh Malley, Darragh Hennigan, Niall McHugh; Cian Sweeney, Eoghan Gallagher; Anthony Bennett, Gavin Sweeney, Adam McGill; Shane Sweeney, Michael Mulreany, Eoghan ‘Ban’ McNelis. 

Subs: Maitiu Clerkin for E Gallagher (47), Niall Boyle for B McNelis (50), Karl Jospeh Molloy for C Sweeney (53).

Naomh Padraig: Oisin Quigley; Daniel McMenamin, Cormac Kelly, Mark Farren; Jason Lynch, Michael McCarron, Peter McLaughlin; James McCauley, Oisin McIntyre; Finn McClafferty, Cillian Doyle, Andrew McCarron; Cormac Doherty, Eamon Doherty, Darragh Doherty. 

Subs: Evan McColgan for E Doherty (35), Eoin Maguire for D Doherty (42). 

Referee: Anthony Finn (Naomh Colmcille).