ARMAGH county stars Aimee Mackin and Caroline O’Hanlon seem to be having no problems finding the back of the net despite the absence of football over the last few months.
With the return to play initially focussed on club football we are in the throw of county championships and some of Ulster biggest stars are certainly making up for missed time.
Mackin, who only made a return to competitive action last weekend after being out for a year following a cruciate injury against Grange in the league, scored an incredible 8-1 her club for Shane O’Neills in their 10-9 to 2-3 win over Crossmaglen in the quarter-finals of the Armagh Senior Championship on Saturday evening.
Caroline O’Hanlon finished with six goals to her name as Carrickcruppen defeated Dromahill 10-10 to 1-6 in another of the Saturday quarter-finals.
O’Hanlon was wearing a number nine jersey but was deployed in full forward and from their first three attacks she found the back of the net each time to complete a hat-trick in 90 seconds and adding another two in the first half.
And with Armagh Harps knocking out defending champions Clann Eireann 1-13 to 1-7 on Saturday also, the Armagh championship race has been blown wide open, leaving the four semi-finalists including Grange fancying their chances.
In Donegal, sharpshooter Geraldine McLaughlin has been making her mark as well.
The Donegal club championship is at the end of its round robin stages and after four rounds, McLaughlin’s goal count has reached 10 for defending champions and last year’s Ulster finalists Termon.
She hit 5-6 against Moville in the opening game, followed that up with a goal against Buncrana as Termon’s younger stars made count with 17-year-old Ciara McGarvey scoring 5-2.
It was a hat-trick against Naomh Conaill while just yesterday morning she hit 1-9 to ensure the county champions topped the group with a 2-14 to 1-4 win over Glenfin, who also had three wins from three, in a repeat of last year’s final.
In Cavan, county minor rising star Aisling Walls leads the early scoring stakes in the senior championship with 2-11 for Killygarry in last weekend’s opening round.
