McColgan basks in Ulster glory

By Michael McMullan

CAOLAN McColgan’s smile said it all. As a word, buzzing doesn’t come close. His eyes are dancing. The term Ulster champion has a sweet ring to it.

Standing outside the Naomh Pádraig dressing room, the beats are echoing from the boom box inside.

After having more than his fair share of injury problems, McColgan was still floating on air after his goal helped the Muff side add an Ulster title to a first Donegal title.

“It’s absolutely amazing,” he said of the winning feeling. “We’ve worked so hard all year. We’ve been through a lot so, look, we’re happy now to be on the right side of it.”

They needed three goals to see off a Craigbane team who emerged from tough battles with Killeeshil, Knockbride and Drumhowan.

After going four points up, there was only a point between the sides at the break before McColgan’s rasper put them on the way to victory.

The club have had their knockbacks on the pitch but it didn’t come close to losing teammate Evan Craig following a battle with illness. Craig played a central role in the group until this season.

The Naomh Pádraig players had EC13 written on a wristband. The number 13 jersey wasn’t used. His father Joe carried it out before the county final.

After Saturday’s final, captain Dermot Keavney finished his speech with a poem dedicated to Evan before the entire squad broke into a chant.

“There’s only one Evan Craig,” echoed through the Celtic Park stand in total unison.

They’ll never forget him.

“It was absolutely emotional up there,” McColgan said of standing, looking down at the entire pitch below.

“It was special and I hope this trophy brings a smile to a lot of the family’s faces.”

As one of the many players who learned their trade alongside Even Craig as the club’s stock rose, McColgan speaks with pride and sadness. Both at the same time.

“He was a great character in the changing rooms and he played up until last year when he got sick,” he said.

“He wasn’t involved this year obviously, but he was a huge character and he was still there every week supporting us.”

The group made a promise to win a county medal for Evan. They did. They reset the target to eyeing an Ulster medal. The hard yards were put in. Saturday was that day.

The club started in 1989 with an u-12 team and it’s grew from there. They progressed to a Division One minor final in 2018 before coming up short against St Eunan’s but, as a club, they keep on trucking.

“We had very strong minor teams and they are the spine to this team now,” McColgan said of a foundation they’ve added to.

“Last year, we brought in five minors and they all started last year and they’re our main players now this year too.”

Naomh Pádraig will travel to London to take on British champions Tara who won their final on Sunday.

Beyond that, an All-Ireland semi-final against the Munster champions awaits the winners. In the short term, Donegal’s second youngest club have an Ulster title to their name.

“It’s absolutely massive,” McColgan summed up. “It puts us on a map, we’re a small club.

“The support we had was great. The whole parish was out there so we’re happy to bring a smile to their faces.”