Naomh Padraig power past Tara and into All-Ireland JFC semi-final  

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin are through to the All-Ireland JFC last four after a spectacular drubbing of Tara GFC in Ruislip. 

The Inishowen outfit were 1-7 to 0-5 up at the break but a powerful second period eased them, in the end, towards an 11-point victory. 

This was ‘take two’ as far as both these sides were concerned after the original fixture, back on December 7, fell after a water-logged pitch deemed the contest unplayable. 

There was cause for some concern on Sunday once again when the match official in charge this time also felt McGovern Park warranted another pitch inspection.

And while the contest was pushed back an hour, Naomh Padraig finally got their opportunity to win through to an All-Ireland semi-final.

The sleet and snow seemed to miss Ruislip overnight but torrential rain once again began to fall right on throw-in. 

Playing with a strong breeze, Daniel McCauley’s side confidently got out of the blocks and into a five-point lead by the 11th minute. 

Cormac McColgan, Caolan McColgan, Kevin Doherty and a Kevin Lynch brace did the damage there in a confident opening from the Ulster and Donegal champions. 

Tara talisman Shay Rafter would kick all but one of his side’s opening half tally of five and he grabbed the first of those from a free on the quarter-hour mark. 

Naomh Padraig continued to dominate and almost grabbed a goal when Caolan McColgan cracked the underside of the crossbar. Still, with Cormac McColgan on hand to mop up, that previous five-point cushion was quickly restored. 

Lynch added his third soon after as 0-7 led 0-1 ten minutes out from the break. But a Luke Morahan effort on goal, where he’d much more time than he thought, seemed to spur Tara and they lifted matters between then and the midpoint. 

Rafter and Conor Redican posted a quickfire double and the difference was suddenly back to four. 

Lynch then powerfully bundled his way through the Tara defence and while he eventually lost a grip on the ball, Oisin McIntyre was on hand to toe-poke home. 

In the aftermath, the referee spotted something which resulted in Lynch picking up a black card. 

Rafter would lob two more points - one from a free - before the short whistle and at the midpoint, five split the teams.  

Still down to 14 on the resumption, Naomh Padraig were peeled back further as Rafter quickly picked up where he’d so impressively left off. 

The visitors from Inishowen were back up and running on 36 minutes as Caolan McColgan grabbed his second and, at the same time, Lynch reentered the fray.

Naomh Padraig then put this one beyond any lingering doubt inside three spectacular minutes as Drew McKinney and Caolan McColgan both successfully rattled the net. 

11 clear at 3-8 to 0-6, Naomh Padraig’s grip continued to tighten thanks to another Caolan McColgan point. 

Conor Redican did find a reply for the hosts but a fourth Naomh Padraig goal through Ronan Hoy left a massive 14 points in it entering the last ten minutes. 

Redican and Oisin McIntyre traded points down the stretch while a late Kieran Harte goal for the Londoners added a little gloss on a day when Naomh Padraig were thoroughly deserving winners. 

Naomh Padraig will now have to quickly turn attention towards their last-four encounter with Cork champions Kilmurry next Sunday in Parnell Park. 

Naomh Padraig scorers: Kevin Lynch 0-3,1f,1m; Oisin McIntyre 1-1; Drew McKinney 1-0; Ronan Hoy 1-0; Cormac McColgan 0-2; Kevin Doherty 0-1; Caolan McColgan 1-3. 

Tara scorers: Shay Rafter 0-6, 2f; Kieran Harte 1-0; Conor Redican 0-3,1f.

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin: Oran McCauley; Drew McKinney, Caolán Harkin, Darragh McIntyre; Michael McCarron, Jonathan Toye, Jason McCallion; Eunan Mullan, Cormac McColgan; Oisín McIntyre, Kevin Doherty, Ronan Hoy; Joseph McCauley, Kevin Lynch, Caolan McColgan 

Subs used: Dermot Keaveney, Eunan Keaveney, Andrew McCarron, Cathal McColgan. 

Tara GFC: Mark Terry; Jack Power, Danny Gallagher-Henry, Thomas Connolly; Eoin McGivney, Michael Cunniffe, Conor Redican; Sean McCabe, Kieran Harte; Luke Morahan, Eunan Finneran, Aidan Harte; Sean Howley, Shay Rafter, Niall McGivney.

Subs: Niall McGivney, Colm McSheffrey. 

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow)