Women’s NFL Division One: Kerry 1-13 Armagh 3-11
An outstanding second half from champions Armagh, in which they outscored Kerry by 3-6 to 0-6, saw them claim the spoils against a home side that ran out of legs in the finish at a windy Austin Stack Park in Tralee in the first round of the Lidl National Football League.
The introduction of substitutes Blaithín Mackin, who struck for 1-1, and Rebecca Cunningham, with a goal, made all the difference, whilst Anna Carr in the Armagh goal was also in superb form.
TG4 All-Ireland nenior champions Kerry had the advantage of the wind in the first half but tt was the defending league champions that made the brighter start when late replacement Eimear McGeown popped over in the first minute. Kerry were soon on level terms when Síofra O’Shea slotted a free following a foul on captain Anna Galvin.
In a repeat of last year’s top-flight decider, and in the first competitive game between the sides since last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, O’Shea put the Kingdom 0-2 to 0-1 to the good in the fifth minute but Niamh Reel showed her abilities when she replied two minutes later for the visitors to level matters.
Eve Lavery then slotted a free that she earned herself and Armagh went two to the good with Reel once again doing the damage, although Rachel Dwyer did get one back for the hosts after a fine run and assist by the marauding Aoife Dillane.
Lavery stretched Armagh’s advantage to two in the 18th minute but from here on Kerry dominated the half, with O’Shea striking for a brilliant goal in the 20th minute after excellent approach play from the impressive Niamh Ní Chonchúir and Jadyn Lucey.
Lucey followed up with a score of her own, but Armagh were still dangerous and Mary Ellen Bolger was forced into a brilliant one-handed save from McGeown as her shot was destined for the top corner
The rest of the half belonged to Kerry and O’Shea with two points (one free) and Galvin saw them take a 1-7 to 0-5 lead in at the half-time break.
Galvin went on a fine run and score from the second half throw-in but Armagh struck for three points on the trot from Lavery, Eimear McGeown and Mackin, fresh off the bench, made it a 1-8 to 0-8 game.
Carr made a fine double save from O’Shea and Lucey, and Lucey saw yellow straight afterwards for a high challenge.
When O’Shea pointed for Kerry in the 45th minute to make it 1-13 to 0-9, it proved to be Kerry’s last score of the game, as Carr made another fine save from Ní Chonchúir.
It was all Armagh from here on in. Reel, with a brace of points, was followed by a splendid goal from Mackin before Rebecca Cunningham struck for a scorcher in the 53rd minute.
The last goal of the contest came from Róisín Mulligan as Armagh had too much in the finish for a Kerry team that faded in the last quarter.
KERRY: ME Bolger; R Smith, D Kearney, F O’Donoghue; A O’Connell, K Cronin (0-1), A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin (capt) (0-2); N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir (0-1), C Evans (0-1); J Lucey (0-1), S O’Shea (1-6, 4f), R Dwyer (0-1).
Subs: J Gill for Evans (44 mins); C McCarthy for Smith, K Brosnan for Dwyer (both 47); K O’Connor for Ní Chonchúir (49); M Higgins for Lucey (55); N Ní Chonchúir for O’Connell (56); R Rahilly for O’Donoghue (58).
ARMAGH: A Carr; M Ferguson, L Kenny, C Towe; E Druse, L McConville (capt), R Mulligan (1-0); N Coleman, C O’Hanlon (0-1); A McCoy, M Feehan, E Lavery (0-3, 1f); N Reel N Reel (0-4), M Lennon, E McGeown (0-2).
Subs: B Mackin (1-1) for Kenny (33 mins); C McNally for Lennon, M McGann for Lavery (both 40); R Cunningham (1-0) for McGeown (52); N Henderson for Reel 55; C Garvey for Feehan (56).
Referee: J Murphy (Carlow).
Division One: Dublin 2-7 Mayo 1-7
Rebecca McDonnell and Chloe Darby grabbed goals in either half at Parnell Park as Dublin began life under the joint management of Paul Casey and Derek Murray with a hard-earned win over Mayo on Saturday afternoon.
Despite the late withdrawal of team captain Carla Rowe – Mayo skipper Danielle Caldwell was also replaced in her side’s starting line-up before throw-in – Dublin raced into an early two-point buffer courtesy of fine scores by Niamh Hetherton and Sophie McIntyre.
While the Connacht side initially struggled to create attacking momentum, they eventually opened their account when full forward Sinéad Walsh knocked over an 11th-minute free.
Yet despite registering a number of wides in the early stages, Dublin increased their advantage to three points as a result of Jodi Egan and Darby (free) finding the target either side of the first-quarter mark.
Another successful placed-ball effort from the reliable Walsh kept Mayo within touching distance, only for the Jackies to create significant daylight when McDonnell smashed the ball to the opposition net from a tight angle on 23 minutes.
However, just when it seemed like Dublin were in control of the contest, their lead was sensationally wiped out after Walsh followed up a brace of frees with a superb 29th-minute goal.
This ensured the sides were level at 1-4 apiece during the interval, but Dublin immediately re-established their authority when Darby clinically secured a three-pointer less than 20 seconds after the restart.
Although Mayo gained a temporary numerical advantage when opposition midfielder Grace Kos was sinbinned on 35 minutes, Liam McHale’s charges fell further adrift following unanswered points from Egan and Darby.
Mayo centre half back Sherin El Massry did kick a fine point for the visitors just before Kos’s return to partly lift the scoring burden off Walsh’s shoulders, but Mayo were subsequently reduced to 14 players themselves inside the final quarter when Ella Brennan fouled stand-in Dublin skipper Leah Caffrey around the middle-third of the pitch.
Points from Walsh, who finished with an impressive haul of 1-5, and Aoife Geraghty did reduce Mayo’s deficit to two late on, before Darby split the posts off a routine free to put the seal on a Dublin victory.
DUBLIN: KM Tighe; J Tobin, L Caffrey, A Nyhan; H McGinnis, M Byrne, N Donlon; C Darby (1-3, 3f), G Kos; A Curran, R McDonnell (1-0), S McIntyre (0-1); A Timothy, N Hetherton (0-1), J Egan (0-2).
Subs: K Murray for McIntyre (43 mins); C Fox for Egan (49); C Kirwan for Timothy (64).
MAYO: R Dyar; E Brennan, S Lally, C Durkin; K Sullivan, S El Massry (0-1), H Reape; E Murray, A Geraghty (0-1); L Wallace, A Gough, M Sheridan; M Cannon, S Walsh (1-5, 5f), C Whyte.
Subs: B Hession for Whyte (h-t); K Doherty for Sheridan (47); A Fitzpatrick for Sullivan (50); S Delaney for Cannon (56); J Mortimer for Reape (61).
Referee: Maggie Farrelly (Cavan).
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