ARMAGH will play their first Division One league game in seven years when they host Waterford in Crossmaglen tomorrow.
The Orchard county have been trying for several years now to get back up to the top division and finally achieved that last year following their Division Two title victory over Laois in the Croke Park decider.
They are also under a new management team, with former Monaghan and Dublin manager Gregory McGonigle at the helm, although having spent last season managing the Ulster senior club champions Clann Eireann, he has had a good opportunity to see a lot of club players in the county in action over the last 12 months.
Full-back Clodagh McCambridge has been appointed captain, taking over from Kelly Mallon, while McGonigle has made the Mackin sisters – Aimee and Blaithin, who are both back home after their AFLW season with Melbourne – and Lauren McConville the team vice-captains.
While Tiarna Grimes is taking a break and Alex Clarke has signed for Linfield, McGonigle welcomes back Orchard star Caroline O’Hanlon, who had stepped back after the Division Two final triumph.
He has also added several new faces, among them Clann Eireann duo Roisin Mulligan and Niamh Murray and young up-and-coming players Caitlin McCormack from Ballyhegan and Killeavy’s Laura Kavanagh.
Playing regular football, week-in, week-out, against the top teams can only help Armagh progress, especially when it comes to the championship and McGonigle has asked his players for buy-in on that.
“The short-term goal is trying to get the first win on the board against Waterford on Sunday,’’ he said.
‘’We haven’t sat down as a group and targeted this or targeted that. The big thing for us coming in as a management team is can we improve the group.
“We have asked the players can they be coachable and can they improve themselves and can we help them, because at the end of the day it’s their career, their team and we are more or less just there as facilitators or to give them a bit of direction and whatever help we can.
“I think we are good enough to stay in Division One but that will be based on how we perform and do we get enough results but I don’t think there is any pressure.
‘’If you go by results over the last couple of years, they are just outside the top eight, so it is up to us to try and get them inside the top eight.
‘’Obviously, they haven’t progressed past a quarter-final so that would say that you are possibly not at that top end, but that is where we would hope to get and hopefully if we do improve enough throughout the year that we would get enough points to hopefully stay in Division One for 2025.”
Waterford have been in Division One since 2019 and that makes them a well-seasoned team, according to McGonigle, who knows they will face a tough challenge. Ahead of a trip away to Cork next weekend, it’s important to make this home game count.
“If Waterford came up in 2019, they are two to three years at that level, they are well seasoned team as much as they might be floating just outside that top four, top five.
“I think it will be a test for us as regards to where we are at but again Armagh have been around.
‘’They have been close enough, possibly could have got a result against Cork last year, just lost out to Donegal in the Ulster final, Donegal ended up beating Waterford in the championship as did Meath, so I don’t think there is going to be too much in it and it might possibly come down to who has done that bit of preparation that wee bit better.
“Knowing the lads who are over Waterford they will have their homework done on us but I’d like to think that we have our homework done on them and I’d imagine it’s going to be a tight game.’’
LIDL LADIES’ NFL FIXTURES
(all games Sunday unless stated)
(all games 2pm unless stated)
Division One, round one
Dublin v Kerry (Saturday, 7.15pm, live on TG4)
Armagh v Waterford (Crossmaglen, 1pm)
Cork v Galway (Mallow)
Mayo v Meath (Ballina)
Division Two, round one
Tyrone v Westmeath (Naomh Eoghan)
Cavan v Tipperary (Lacken GAA)
Kildare v Monaghan (Manguard Park)
Laois v Donegal (LOETB Centre of Excellence)
Division Three, round one
Roscommon v Down (Woodmount, 12pm)
Wexford v Clare (Taghmon, 1pm)
Antrim v Louth (Davitt Park)
Offaly v Sligo (Ferbane
Division Four, round two
Limerick v Derry (Saturday, Doon, 7pm)
Leitrim v Wicklow (Ballinamore)
Carlow v Fermanagh (Lannleire)
Kilkenny v Longford (MW Hire Dunmore)