Kevin Lynch among youth driving Donegal's Naomh Pádraig to All-Ireland final

At the age of 19, Kevin Lynch has been crucial for Naomh Pádraig as they prepare for the All-Ireland junior football final this weekend.

The Donegal side defeated Cork's Kilmurry on penalties in the semi-final, with Lynch scoring the equalising point in the final moments of normal time to bring the game to extra time.

Having to dig deep to reach Croke Park, Lynch also had to overcome challenges of his own, as an injury threatened to end his part in Naomh Pádraig's journey.

“The foot has been a bit of a nightmare. I kind of played on with it and then went to get it looked at but didn’t rest it, which just made it worse. It’s been an awkward one to heal, but it’s well healed now.

“It happened three or four weeks before we played the county final, but as we went on, it definitely got worse because I didn’t get it looked at. After the county final, the pain was very bad, so I went and got it checked. I then had a bit of a rest and put it in a boot.

“I missed the Ulster quarter-final and semi-final and didn’t know if I’d be fit for the Ulster final, but I was able to come in at half-time.”

Younger players such as Lynch stepping up as crucial contributors has been a recurring theme for the Donegal side this season.

As the club reaps the rewards of its work at underage levels, the “golden generation” of the team represents a bright future for the community.

While youth is central to the squad’s success, Lynch credits the experienced players who have been a major influence on the side.

“Underage in Muff has been very strong over the past couple of years. Everyone was expecting Muff to be good, but it just didn’t happen because a few players left, and it didn’t carry through to senior.

“We have three or four experienced lads on