Impressive Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin progress to Ulster JFC semi-finals 

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin are into the last four in the hunt for the Ulster Club JFC after a deserving four-point win over Antrim counterparts Naomh Comhghall in Letterkenny on Saturday. 

Daniel McCauley’s team were never behind over the hour with the likes of Cormac McColgan, Kevin Doherty and, in particular, Jonathan Toye really to the fore for the winners. 

 Naomh Padraig, without influential target man Kevin Lynch - really impressed in the first-half and were full value for their five-point lead at the break. 

Naomh Comhghall looked to rally after the changeover and got to within a goal of the leaders’ coattails down the stretch. Still, Naomh Padraig remained composed and seen matters out in impressive fashion. 

And McCauley and his management team will now have the luxury of taking in Dromara of Down and Collegeland of Armagh on Sunday to see who they’ll now take on in the semi-finals.   

The Inishowen side put on a real exhibition of long-range shooting inside the opening half in O’Donnell Park and McCauley’s charges deservingly went in at the midpoint 0-8 to 0-3 clear. 

Indeed, six of their eight efforts there came from areas that Naomh Comhghall would have deemed outside the ‘shooting zone’. 

But Naomh Padraig were so efficient in their execution and it was without a doubt the telling factor inside the first half hour in Letterkenny. 

Toye lobbed over the first score of the game on two minutes from a free while Ryan Clarke got in behind up the other side to almost instantly level matters. 

Toye then carried possession out of his own defensive third and with Naomh Comhghall content to back-peddle, the centre half-back sliced over a brilliant point from around 45m. 

A scuffed dispatch from Naomh Padraig custodian Oran McCualey then afforded Dylan Murdock the chance to once again square matters at 0-2 apiece. 

Soon after, Cormac McColgan was next to take advantage of a deep set Naomh Comhghall defence as he also clipped over from out the park. 

With the Saffron outfit failing to step up or widen the radius of their defensive shape, Kevin Doherty was next to try his luck from distance and, in the process, leave it 0-4 to 0-2. 

Ten minutes out from the break, the impressive Toye let fly from around the 45’ once more and with the result the exact same, Naomh Padraig were now three to the good. 

Still, Naomh Comhghall hinted at their potential when direct running from James McCabe prised open the Naomh Padraig defence but his driven effort went right down the throat of Oisin McCauley who still showed good enough reflexes to beat the ball away. 

Naomh Padraig midfielder Cormac McColgan then landed two excellent points from play - again thanks to the Naomh Comhghall defence’s unwillingness to step out quicker or put any real pressure on the shooter. 

Ryan Clarke did manage to land a late point for the visitors to leave a deficit of five in it at the midpoint. 

However, the sight of Caolan McColgan limping off to what looked like a hamstring nick in and around the same juncture could have a serious impact on Naomh Padraig’s provincial aspirations if the Donegal star does find himself sidelined for the semi-finals. 

Tom Patchett and Kevin Doherty registered at either end shortly after the resumption but good link-up play from James McCabe and the lively Murdock seen the latter trim matters back to four at 0-9 to 0-5. 

Toye - having an excellent outing - then nailed his fourth of the day as he again took advantage of the time and space allowed to size matters up and hit his mark from out the field. 

Still, going into the fourth and final quarter Patchett was allowed to reel off a brace of frees that took the visitors back to within three at 0-10 to 0-7. 

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‘Player of the Match’ Toye and opposite number James McCabe traded overs and a goal continued to split the teams down a nervy home stretch. 

However, Drew McKinney would have the final say for the winners as Naomh Comhghall had Joseph Webb sin-binned right at the death. 

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin scorers: Jonathan Toye 0-5,2f; Kevin Doherty 0-3,2f; Cormac McColgan 0-3; Drew McKinney 0-1. 

Naomh Comhghall scorers: Tom Patchett 0-3,3f; Dylan Murdock 0-2; Ryan Clarke 0-2; James McCabe 0-1. 

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin: Oran McCauley; Cormac Kelly, Caolan Harkin, Darragh McIntyre; Michael McCarron, Jonathan Toye, Jason McCallion; Drew McKinney, Cormac McColgan; Oisin McIntyre, Kevin Doherty, Rory Hirrell; Joseph McCauley, Dermot Keaveney, Caolan McColgan.

Subs: Ronan Hoy for C McColgan (30+1); Jamie McColgan for Keaveney (40); Andrew McCarron for K Doherty (53).

Naomh Comhghall: Anthony Watson; Sean Gribbon, Cathal Donnelly, Caolan McKeown; Michael McCabe, James McCabe, Dannan O’Hara; Louis Higgins, Josh Henry; Joseph Webb, Dylan Murdock, Aaron McGaw; Ryan Clarke, Miles Devine, Tom Patchett. 

Subs:  Edin Lynott for O’Hara (37); Liam Phinn for McGaw (42).

Referee: Margaret Farrelly (Cavan).