Naomh Padraig overcome Naomh Ultan to clinch JFC final place 

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin eased past Naomh Ultan to book their place in the Donegal Junior A championship final following their semi-final win on Saturday evening in Convoy. 

Twelve points separated the sides as the finish after Naomh Padraig finished with a late scoring flurry. The Inishowen men scored three of their four goals in the closing 10 minutes with substitutes Kevin Lynch and Dermot Keaveney, along with wingback McCallion hitting the net. 

Naomh Padraig were the better side in the first half but only led by two points at half-time 1-4 to 0-5. Caolan McColgan scored the goal in the middle of the opening 30 minutes when he thundered through from the right wing to rattle the roof of Alan Lyon’s net from 20 metres to open up a 1-3 to 0-1 lead. 

But a rampant Naomh Padraig who played the game at a great pace only scored one more point before the half-time break. 

A dogged Naomh Ultan who defended as if their lives depended on it kicked four-late points courtesy of three Cian Kennedy pointed frees and one from the hard grafting Daniel Gallagher.

Luke Gallagher, after a good run from Joe Alvey opened the second-half scoring to cut the Naomh Padraig's lead to a single point. 

But that was as close as Aidan Duddy’s men got as Naomh Padraig kicked on again with points from Kevin Doherty, Cormac Kelly, and Johnny Toye to move into a 1-7 to 0-6 lead. Aaron Kyles, Ciaran Cunningham, Mark Hutchinson, and Jack Boyle still continued to put up a stout resistance, and Luke Gallagher landed his second point to make it a three-point game

But Naomh Ultan struggled after goalkeeper Alan Lyons was shown a red card for allegedly striking with 10 minutes of normal time remaining.

Down a man and chasing the game it got worse shortly after when Kevin Lynch struck for goal number two and a point lead once more opened for Naomh Padraig.

Lynch had been held in reserve due to injury but did well to round his marker after being hit with a long delivery from Caolan McColgan for a 2-7 to 0-7 lead.

By the final 10 minutes, there was no way back for Naomh Ultan, and Jason McCallion sunk the dagger with goal number four deep in injury time. 

Naomh Padraig will now meet Carndonagh in an Inishowen Junior A final in two weeks' time.

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin scorers: Caolan McColgan, Kevin Lynch, Dermot Keaveney, and Jason McCallion 1-0 each; Kevin Doherty 0-3, 2f; Oisin McIntyre, Eunan Mullan, Cormac Kelly, and Johnny Toye 0-1 each. 

Naomh Ultan scorers: Cian Kennedy 0-4 3f; Luke Gallagher 0-2; Daniel Gallagher 0-1. 

Naomh Padraig, Uisce Chaoin: Oran McCauley; Oisin McIntyre, Caolan Harkin, Darragh McIntyre; Michael McCarron, Cormac Kelly, Jason McCallion; Eunan Mullan, Cormac McColgan; Jonny Toye, Kevin Doherty, Rory Hirrell;  Joseph McCauley, Ronan Hoy, Caolan McColgan. Subs: Drew McKinney for K Doherty (40); Kevin Lynch for R Hoy (50); Dermot Keaveney for E Mullan (51); Cathal McColgan for C Kelly (54); Eunan Keaveney for Cormac McColgan (57). 

Naomh Ultan: Alan Lyons; Christy Boyle, Ciaran Cunningham, Mark Hutchinson; Jamie Cunningham, Aaron Kyles, Jack Boyle; Daniel Gallagher, Shaun White; Jordan Watters, Cian Kennedy, Kyle Breslin; Jonathan Bach, Patrick White, Daragh Murrin. Subs: Joe Alvey for C Boyle (22); Daniel McGlynn for C Cunningham (50); Barry Murray for S White (55, inj).

Referee: Siobhan Coyle (Gaeil Fhanada).