Daniel McCauley so impressed with Naomh Padraig in Ulster JFC semi-final win

Daniel McCauley did his due diligence and the manner rin which Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin seen off Collegeland O’Rahilly’s in this Ulster JFC semi-final was thoroughly impressive. 

As early as the seventh minute the Donegal champions were already four clear and with the Armagh side’s direct approach easily sniffed out, Naomh Padraig played most of the game on their terms. 

In the end, a 1-11 to 1-4 scoreline probably flattered Collegeland as Naomh Padraig winded down late on. 

A quick turnaround of just a week now sees them looking forward to a historic Ulster final clash with Craigbane St Joseph’s after the Derry outfit overcame Drumhowan of Monaghan, after extra-time and penalties, in the afternoon’s other semi-final. 

And that game has been confirmed to take place in Celtic Park next Saturday afternoon with a 1.30pm throw-in. 

“We’d a great start and after eight seven we were four points up,” said boss McCauley after. 

“We were slightly disappointed we didn't kick on then. We took the foot off the gas in the lead-up to half-time. 

“But I still think they managed the game brilliantly. From the very first whistle, I don't think we were ever losing it. There was another gear there, I felt, if it was needed. 

“In the second-half we sort of coasted and - like I said - the game management saw us through”.

Naomh Padraig’s cohesiveness and the coaching that has gone into them was obvious from high up in the Healy Park press box. 

Collegeland having no ‘Plan B’ was just as evident and the Inishowen outfit had a relatively trouble-free evening in Omagh. 

“That comes from a lot of hard work on the training field,” McCauley explained. “This is a young squad so we had to get them used to controlling games, using the ball wisely in tight scenarios. 

“And that’s a result of really hard work. It’s a thing in Gaelic football where you have to have it in your locker to control games at certain times”.

Ten minutes into the second-half and a Drew McKinney goal opened up a 1-8 to 0-2 advantage and you just knew, if you didn’t know already, that this one was as good as over. 

Collegeland bagged a three-pointer of their own not long after but Naomh Padraig were on the wind-down for most of that last 20 minutes knowing they could have stepped it up further if the situation called for it. 

“The goal was a big thing and you never want to get too far ahead of yourself but it felt safe then. Still, we conceded a sloppy goal of our own. We didn’t track as they ran through and that wasn’t like us. 

“On the whole, our defence was immense and Joseph McCauley sitting in there was a telling factor. 

“We’d watched them, they like to kick to a high line of three forwards. So Joe swept that up and it really cut off their supply. He sacrificed his own game as he likes to go forward.

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“But he’d something like seven turnovers there today and it was excellent.” 

Another huge plaid was that Donegal ace Caolan McColgan got 25 minutes under his belt at the weekend. 

McCauley said both he and Kevin Lynch had their hands up for inclusion from the off but he resisted that temptation. And that star duo will hopefully now come back into the reckoning for the final. 

“Caolan and Kevin were good to go but we’d real confidence in the rest of the group. We held them back. Caolan was a little more ahead of schedule than Kevin. 

“We didn’t use Kevin but we needed to get minutes into Caolan and we did that with no reaction. And that’s a great positive too.

“It’s a quick turnaround now to next weekend and we’ve planned the week out. We have an U-21 game tomorrow (Sunday). It’s not ideal so we need to plan recovery around both games for the lads involved in the crossover”.