DERRY GAA: ​Craigbane target Ulster Junior football history

Craigbane v Naomh Padraig

(Sat, Celtic Park 1.30pm)

Craigbane will have history on their minds this weekend as they seek to become the first Derry club ever to lift the Ulster Junior Football Championship title against Muff’s Naomh Padraig in Celtic Park.

In its 24 year history, no Oak Leaf team has lifted the provincial junior title. Teams like Limavady (twice), Ballerin, Lissan and Faughanvale have all reached the final only to lose out in the decider. But of all the teams who have contested the decider thus far, Craigbane look best equipped to get over the line.

Having beaten the champions of Tyrone, Cavan and Monaghan – all of whom are traditionally strong at this level – Kevin Moore’s side have reached Saturday’s final by hard road. Each game was a battle and it was the St. Joseph’s unwavering spirit that has taken them through, especially in last week’s epic semi-final against Drumhowan.

In the past the Lilywhites have won the Ulster intermediate title twice so there is a real championship pedigree within Craigbane for whom this year was a second Derry junior title in three years.

Naomh Padraig, Muff are from just over the Donegal border and ironically based probably closer to Celtic Park than their Derry opposition! In the quarter final they defeated St. Comghall’s of Antrim by 0-12 to 0-8 in Letterkenny. They followed that up last Saturday with a surprisingly easy semi final win at Omagh, beating Collegeland of Armagh by 1-11 to 1-4, a match in which they held the orchard champions scoreless for the first 27 minutes.

Muff centre-half back Jonathan Toye had a superb game seven days ago but others like Cormac McColgan, Rory Hillen, Andrew McKinney and Robert Hoy showed that football is alive and well in Inishowen and this will be the biggest test yet of the provincial scene for Craigbane.

It looks to be an intriguing contest with the more experienced Craigbane slight favourites but they will be facing a fresh and ambitious Muff team that will battle all the way.

The Craigbane midfield duo of Bliain Gormley and Jude Og Moore has been the launching pad for their good run to date while Lee Moore, Brian Rainey and Jude McLaughlin are getting vital scores. The Lilywhites have a nice mix of youth and experience and last week showed there is character in abundance within Kevin Moore’s squad.

Last week in Healy Park was far from vintage Craigbane but they found a way to win and it will be interesting to see if former minor captain Pierce McClockey’s impressive cameo off the bench has done enough to force his way into the starting 15.

Conor and James McLaughlin will be key coming out of half-back and if Criagbane can curtail the influence of Toye, it could go a long way to securing an historic win.