BY DÁIRE BONNAR
NAOMH Pádraig Uisce Chaoin star Drew McKinney feels that his side are relishing their current run as they look forward to the Ulster Junior club final today.
The Muff men haven’t been troubled too much yet as they disposed of Naomh Comhghall (Antrim) and on Saturday, they defeated Collegeland (Armagh) by seven points.
“We got off to a good start and we never really looked back,” McKinney said, who got the goal for his side as he punched in from a Johnny Toye 45.
“Their first point didn’t come until the 26th minute so we kept them quiet and they couldn’t get into it.
“Johnny slipped and it dropped right into the square, I just flicked it on enough to put the ‘keeper off so it was right place, right time.
“Our plan was to keep it tight at the back and whatever we can do up front is a bonus, it was maybe a bit defensive but we were probably unlucky to only be five up at half-time.”
They started that game without two key men, as Kevin Lynch was rested and Caolan McColgan came off the bench having had injuries.
A former captain of the Donegal minor team, McKinney also starred for the Under 20s but injuries have plagued him over the last few years.
However, he feels like he is nearing back to his best form.
“I hurt my knee and had to get surgery so I was out for a year. Then I came back and I was picking up niggles, my hamstring has never been right but I think I’m getting back to where I would have been two years ago, there’s still a long way to go but it’s the best I’ve felt since the injuries.
“It does get sickening, the small injuries that put you out for three weeks are nearly more annoying than an injury you know you’ll be out for a long time.
“I was nursing the hamstring injury throughout the league this year and I only started four games but I didn’t start a game in the whole Donegal championship and my first start was in the Ulster quarters.”
The Ture men are going into the decider against Craigbane, who have battled hard to make it to the final, coming through the preliminary round.
Tyrone champions Drumhowan were eight points to the good at half-time on Saturday but the Derry side fought back to force extra-time and penalties where they eventually prevailed, so there won’t be any signs of complacency from the Donegal men.
“We saw most of the first half but obviously they were really poor in that and they were a different animal in the second half from chatting to the Muff supporters.
“But we have their last two or three games on video so we’ve been able to take a look at them and pick out the danger men.”
While winning Donegal was the priority, Naomh Pádraig manager Daniel McCauley previously mentioned that he believed this side were good enough to win an Ulster title.
And although there weren’t too many thoughts about it before last month when they won the Donegal decider, it is now just an hour of football away from becoming a reality.
“It’s hard to set out the stall like that at the start of the year, especially when you’re a club that have never won a Donegal championship and you want to say you can win Ulster, but myself and Dan spoke about it and we believed from the start of the year that we could win Ulster and we’ve spoke it into existence now hopefully.
“We have to enjoy it and make the most of it.
“But it was great after winning Donegal so I can only imagine what it would be like if we brought an Ulster title back to the parish.”
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