Lidl National Football Leagues round 3
ARMAGH are showing they can cut it in Division One after an impressive 4-11 to 0-12 victory over Kerry yesterday afternoon.
It is now two wins from two for new manager Ronan Clarke and with Monaghan coming up this weekend in a rearranged round one fixture it could well be a third consecutive victory and even just a few games in, top tier status looks to be secured.
Kerry are never a well travelled team and Armagh showed them no mercy as the Kingdom struggled to find a way through the home defence.
Aimee Mackin is showing some fine early season form and she finished with 2-7. At half time, Armagh led 3-5 to 0-9, Aimee Mackin, including one from a penalty, and Lauren McConville, who hit 1-2 altogether, with the Orchard County’s first half goals.
They kept that pressure up for the second period, Mackin’s sister Blaithin grabbing Armagh’s fourth goal while keeping Kerry to just three second half points.
For Monaghan and Tyrone, however, their difficult starts to the new season continue and the round four fixtures between the two at the end of this month looks like it could be the relegation decider.
Monaghan shifted a heavy 5-18 to 0-6 defeat at home to Dublin while Tyrone lost 2-21 to 1-3 away to Cork in the day’s first fixture, the defending champions finally getting off the mark to pick up their first league points, half-time substitute Orla Finn scoring 1-9.
At half-time the damage was done as Cork led 1-10 to 0-1, Niamh O’Neill with Tyrone’s sole first half score. While Finn scored all but two points of her side’s 1-11 in the second half, Tyrone’s reward for not giving up saw Grainne Rafferty scoring 1-1 late in the game, O’Neill with the other point.
An inexperienced Monaghan side had no answer to Dublin’s pace and support play as they raced into a 4-6 to 0-0 advantage after just 18 minutes, Nicole Owens (2), Amy Ring and Niamh McEvoy all raising the green flag.
Therese Scott finally got Monaghan on the boaad on 19 minutes and that was quickly followed by a Cora Courtney converted free. However, it was short lived as Carla Rowe netted for Gregory McGonigle's side and by the break Dublin led 5-7 to 0-4 and continued where they left off with four unanswered points on the resumption.
Eileen McKenna pointed for Monaghan but they only managed a further second half point through Ellen McCarron who finished with three to her name. Between those points Dublin were tagging on scores through the lively Sinead Aherne who hit seven points in all and Carla Rowe who hit 1-5.
CAVAN had to fight back from five points down against Westmeath in their Division Two clash at Kingspan Breffni Park yesterday afternoon to record a superb 1-15 to 1-11 victory.
Nine unanswered second half points saw Conor Barry’s side grind out the victory as they maintained their unbeaten start to the season.
They got off to a great start and led early on 0-3 to 0-1 after seven minutes, but Westmeath hit 1-6 in an eight minute spell to take a commanding 1-7 to 0-3 lead after 16 minutes.
However, Aisling Doonan’s 30th minute penalty was crucial in keeping Cavan in the game and at half time the deficit was four points, 1-9 to 1-5. Westmeath extended that advantage to five shortly after their resumption, but they were to score just once more in the remainder of the game.
Aisling Sheridan started the Cavan comeback and with a quarter of the game left, Cavan were back on level terms 1-10 apiece. A Doonan point gave the home side the lead for the first time since early in the game with Catriona Smith making it a four point advantage to Cavan by the 55th minute.
Westmeath did halt Cavan momentarily with their last point of the game but some great defending by captain Sinead Greene and a final point from a Roisin O’Keefe free saw Cavan’s great comeback complete.
Donegal had it somewhat easier in Sligo coming away with a 4-17 to 2-4 win to keep their winning form going. However, it was Sligo who got off to the better start and the visitors found themselves trailing early on with the home side hitting 1-2.
Donegal did manage to recover and took a narrow 0-6 to 1-2 lead but then Sligo found the back of the net again to go back in front 2-2 to 0-6.
But the game’s crucial score came from the penalty spot, the kick expertly despatched by star forward Geraldine McLaughlin to give Michael Laughton’s side a 1-9 to 2-2 lead at half-time.
McLaughlin and Donegal kicked on from there in the second half, the Termon player completing her hat-trick with a second penalty.
There was no luck for Down in Division Three or Derry in Division Four as both remain winless after three games. Down lost out at home to Offaly 5-11 to 2-11 while Derry, despite scoring 3-7, were hit for 8-17 at home to Longford.
RESULTS
Division 1: Cork 2-21 Tyrone 1-3, Monaghan 0-6 Dublin 5-18, Armagh 4-11 Kerry 0-12, Galway 1-10 Mayo 2-8
Division 2: Sligo 2-4 Donegal 4-17, Laois 3-8 Meath 0-9, Cavan 1-15 Westmeath 1-11, Clare 2-15 Kildare 1-6
Division 3: Down 2-11 Offaly 5-11, Roscommon 2-12 Leitrim 1-5, Wexford 0-6 Tipperary 1-7
Division 4: Carlow 0-1 Wicklow 11-29, Limerick 2-18 Louth 0-1, Derry 3-7 Longford 8-17