Young guns honouring Evan Craig's memory in style - Dermot Keaveney

Dermot Keaveney says he couldn’t be any prouder of Naomh Padraig’s young guns.

And regardless of how Saturday's All-Ireland Club JFC final goes against Galway and Connacht champions An Cheathrú Rua, that won’t change.

Club captain Keaveney, at 34, is one of the more experienced operators in the squad and alongside the likes of Joe McCauley, Aidan Lynch, Cathal McColgan and brother Eunan has tasted some bitter days along the way.

October’s scaling of the JFC mountain inside Donegal was a case of third time lucky as the above cluster also lost the 2010 and 2016 deciders.

Eight of the starting line-up at the weekend at Croke Park will be under 21 and the rest, under 25. Keaveney says it’s that youthful energy that’s been the absolute difference-maker as domestic and Ulster titles were won.

Now, just 60 minutes spilt Naomh Padraig and their own small piece of sporting immortality on the steps of the Hogan Stand.

When teammate and friend Evan Craig sadly passed away last September, the players made a promise to honour him. But the way they’ve done it is the stuff of dreams.

It's really special what that group of lads has done,” explained Keaveney. They'll be remembered for a long time in this parish, and even in Donegal.

“No one really understands just how tough Evan’s passing was for that young group in particular. They were all very, very close to Evan.

“And to lose not only your friend but your teammate and your brother, it was simply devastating.

“Evan was laid to rest on the Thursday I remember and we played in the quarter-final on the Saturday.

“Dan asked straight out, did the boys want to push that game back because it might have been too close?

“But fair play to them they they stepped up, to a man, and said no, we want to play it. We want to play it in his memory and honour him that way.

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“That was the start of it. Every game since, Evan's number 13 jersey sits hanging on the wall.

“Every man touches it on the way out. On the field, we have wristbands with EC13 on them.

“And when it gets tough on the pitch, whenever we feel like we’re struggling, we have a wee look down and remind ourselves just why we’re out there.

“He's always in our memory. And sort of channelling that, it's definitely helped the boys this year knowing that when it's getting tough, Evan is there looking down on us. It’s comforting”.