Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin carrying Evan Craig’s memory into their JFC final

It has been a tough year off the field for JFC finalists Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin following the illness and sad passing in recent weeks of Evan Craig. 

The Inishowen club and indeed all the Donegal GAA community right across the county and beyond were heartbroken when news of the 24-year-old’s untimely death emerged. 

It has been especially hard to take on board for the club and in particular his teammates on the Naomh Padraig, Uisce Caoine senior football team who have qualified for this year’s Donegal JFC final. 

“It has been a hard couple of weeks since the passing of Evan,” said the Naomh Padraig manager Daniel McCauley following his side’s win over Naomh Ultan on Saturday night in Convoy. 

“Evan’s death has been heartbreaking and devastating for all of us. For me on a personal level because I coached him since he was a boy right up through underage.  

“His death has been hard for the boys because he was one of them, a teammate.  

“But the fact that we got together again and won last week and won again this week has gelled us together.” 

It was fitting that the very team McCauley’s side knocked out of the championship at the weekend in Naomh Ultan, was the same team in which Craig scored a goal against last season. 

The ultimate goal now for the Naomh Padraig men is to win the Junior championship for Craig. 

“I know, and I hope and pray with the buildup over the next few weeks that the boys win the final,” the Naomh Padraig manager said. 

“They have been through so much that they deserve to win. Last year, Evan scored the winning goal against Naomh Ultan. He is a massive loss out of our group and we miss him so much.  

“But we are going to get him his medal now and he deserves it because he went through so much in the last 11 months. He is a credit and we are going to win the championship for him.”  

Naomh Padraig will face Inishowen rivals Carndonagh in the Donegal Junior football final in two weeks’ time.