Armagh 2-14 Mayo 1-10
By Shaun Casey
ARMAGH added to their impressive start to the Lidl National Football League campaign as they picked up their fourth win on the trot at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds and proved too strong for Mayo.
Two sublime Niamh Henderson goals were key for the reigning Division One champions and while Mayo hit the net through Saoirse Lally, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide significantly.
The sides were evenly matched early on as Blaithin Mackin and Eve Lavery exchanged pointed efforts with Bree Hession. Sinead Walsh put the Westerners ahead briefly before Niamh Coleman levelled things up.
A brace from Moya Feehan kickstarted Armagh’s scoring spree and they added further scores from Mackin and Henderson. A Niamh Reel double was split by a Lavery free before Mayo got their first score in 13 minutes through Kayla Doherty.
Any hope of a Mayo revival was quickly washed away as Henderson lobbed the visiting netminder to drive Armagh further in front. Captain Lauren McConville grabbed the final score of the opening period, with the Orchard County leading 1-11 to 0-4 at the interval.
Aoife Geraghty got Mayo up and running after the break before full back Lally raised a green flag to close the gap to six. Armagh substitute Caoimhe McNally scored with her first touch, but it was cancelled out by Maria Cannon at the other end.
TG4 Player of the Match Henderson nailed another fantastic goal while Aoife McCoy got her name on the scoresheet to extend the gap to ten. Ciara Whyte hit two on the bounce while a second from McNally split final scores from Hession and Riona Jordan.
It’s Kildare up next for the Ulster champions and they’ll once again enjoy home advantage at Crossmaglen. Liam McHale’s Mayo face the challenge of All-Ireland champions Kerry and are still searching for their first win of the season.
Scorers – Armagh: N Henderson 2-1, B Mackin 0-2, M Feehan 0-2, E Lavery 0-2 (2f), N Reel 0-2, C McNally 0-2, L McConville 0-1, N Coleman 0-1, A McCoy 0-1.
Mayo: S Lally 1-0, B Hession 0-3, C Whyte 0-2, A Geraghty 0-1, M Cannon 0-1, S Walsh 0-1, K Doherty 0-1, R Jordan 0-1.
ARMAGH: B Mathers; M Ferguson, C Towe, R Mulligan; C Garvey, L McConville, B Mackin; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; E Druse, M Feehan, E Lavery; N Reel, A McCoy, N Henderson. Subs: M Lennon for M Feehan (half time), G Ferguson for R Mulligan (34), C Marley for E Druse (39), M McCann for C O’Hanlon (40), C McNally for E Lavery (40), R Cunningham for N Reel (49), E McConaghy for N Henderson (56), L Kavanagh for C Garvey (59), E McGeown for N Coleman (59).
MAYO: J Gawalkiewicz; L Wallace, S Lally, E Brennan; D Caldwell, J Mortimer, H Reape; A Geraghty, A Gough; B Hession, M Cannon, M Sheridan; S Walsh, C Keane, K Doherty. Subs: N O’Malley for A Gough (half time), S Delaney for S Walsh (33), R Jordan for E Brennan (36), C Doherty for E Sheridan (40), C Whyte for C Keane (44), C Durkan for K Doherty (48), S McNulty for J Mortimer (54), S Touhy for B Hession (59).
Referee: Brendan Rice (Down).
