Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin sweating on McColgan and Lynch availability 

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin are impressively through to the last four in the Ulster JFC after their fine 0-12 to 0-8 win over Naomh Comhghall of Antrim on Sunday. 

The Inishowen side was thoroughly impressive throughout and even though they lost talisman Caolan McColgan to a hamstring injury just before the break, it didn't hamper efforts. 

Daniel McCauley was also without the influential Kevin Lynch inside and with a fortnight’s break now until their provincial semi-final outing, the manager says he’s in a race against time to have that duo available. 

On Saturday’s winning feat, the side's first ever in Ulster after a historic JFC win in Donegal, he said: “We’re over the moon and it’s exactly where we want to be. Ulster is all about winning games and that’s what we achieved today thankfully.” 

Kevin Lynch kicked 1-2 in their emphatic 2-12 to 0-8 Donegal decider win over Carndonagh but McCauley explains that Lynch played through the pain barrier that day. 

“Kevin played the county final with a broken bone in his foot. It’s nothing major but he’s the foot in a boot and we’re just waiting on a scan now on Monday to see just how that’s come along”.

As for McColgan’s premature departure in Letterkenny, Naomh Padraig will have to assess the extent of the damage on what’s been a troublesome hamstring complaint for the Donegal star. 

“That’s the one disappointment today. We obviously don’t know how bad it is. Caolan said he felt a wee tweak so we just got him out of there right away.  

“We’ll get him looked at but again, fingers crossed it’s not too bad and he’s about for the next day”. 

Naomh Padraig’s long-range shooting was so impressive at the weekend and a refreshing bucking of the trend of the percentages approach that makes Gaelic football such a difficult watch at times. 

It was open season in O’Donnell Park on Saturday and Naomh Padraig’s ability to fire over Ballela’s defensive set went a long way in winning the game - especially inside the first period where six of their eight points were landed from distance. 

“The county final was the same,” the boss explained. “We pride ourselves on our shooting and taking on the responsibility, not carelessly but when it’s really on. 

“They are confident in their ability to land those scores and it was a factor again today”. 

Jonathan Toyle helped himself to five points from centre half-back and was the game’s most impressive player. And McCauley believes his No. 6 has the potential to play at an even higher level. 

Jonathan is fantastic - he’d hold his own at any level. I think he definitely deserves an opportunity at county level. He’s that good he could play anywhere on the pitch, including in goal”.

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

“We’ve a fortnight now until the semi-final and we know that’s going to be either the Down or Armagh champions. 

“That’s on tomorrow (Sunday) so we’ll get a look at that too this weekend. It gives us a chance to see exactly what we’re up against. It’s a heads up and a bit of familiarity”.