Armagh 4-9 Laois 2-10
Aimee Mackin was once again the star of the show as the Armagh ladies put the heartbreak of last year behind them to win the National League Division Two title in Croke Park.
It was last April when Shane McCormack’s team fell to a crushing 1-12 to 0-12 defeat to Kerry, a loss that dashed their hopes of promotion but they circled the wagons and came back stronger.
Aimee Mackin top-scored for Armagh, as she so often does, with a stunning 3-3 tally. Unbelievably, three of those goals arrived in a ten-minute first half blitz, as Mackin ripped the soul out of her opponents before they knew where they were.
It was Mackin’s second goal, set-up by her sister Blaithín and borne out of some deft off-the-ball movement, which better than anything else, showcased her undoubted class. It would remind you of David Clifford who, unsurprisingly, Mackin name-checked on The GAA Hour last week as a player she models her game.
Armagh had four goals on the board after just ten minutes of the game – Aoife McCoy scored the other one – and try as they might – Laois were never getting back into it.
You can watch Mackin’s second goal here, in all its glory.
#ARMvLAO 6 nóim@ArmaghLGFA 3-00@LaoisLadies 0-01
Cúl den scoth faighte ag Aimee Mackin! 🏐
Another brilliant goal for Armagh early in the game! 👊@LadiesFootball | @lidl_ireland #SeriousSupport | #GAABEO
BEO/LIVE ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/yqBuWKIiR5
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) April 15, 2023
Having been a part of Ronan Murphy’s backroom team last year, manager Shane McCormack was thrilled to land some early season silverware.
“Last year when we lost to Kerry (in the Division 2 final), the girls said: ‘look, we want to be back here. This is where we want to be,” said McCormack. “We’ve worked extremely hard, we’ve upped the ante with training. We’ve collective training four times a week. We’ve been preparing for this, this was our first goal.
“There’s a lot of work done behind the scenes but the girls have really, really put the shoulder to the wheel and they’re after getting their just desserts. Delighted.”
Armagh had beaten Laois earlier in the league, and they came into this one with all the momentum having won seven out of seven group games.
And they kept that momentum going as they hared into into a 4-3 to 1-5 half-time lead. They had scored three goals in as many minutes early on, with Aoife McCoy adding to Aimee Mackin’s double.
Aimee Mackin scored 3-3 in Armagh's win 🙌🔥 pic.twitter.com/ItRcm2HiNv
— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) April 16, 2023
This was her first game for Armagh since the news emerged that Aimee Mackin will be joining her sister Blaithín with the Melbourne Demons AFLW side later this year. The Demons will be excited at the prospect of the sister-act linking up like they did here.
Mo Nerney slotted a penalty before half-time to give Laois some hope but a mere consolation was all it was.
“I know we lost but we’re immensely proud of the performance. If you took the first five minutes out of it, it might sound silly, but we were right in the game,” said Laois manager Donie Brennan after the game.
“I know we lost, but it’s preparation for the championship. We’re happy where we are and it’s all guns now for the Leinster championship.
“It’ll be another step up from Armagh to Meath and Dublin in the Leinster championship because there is that much more bite and intensity in a championship game and we’re looking forward to it.
“We have a few weeks now to prepare for that and hopefully we put ourselves in the best position to compete against Dublin and Meath.”
Armagh scorers: A Mackin 3-3 (0-1f), A McCoy 1-2, B Mackin 0-2, K Mallon, N Reel 0-1 each.
Laois scorers: SA Fitzgerald (3f), E Fitzpatrick 0-4 each, M Nerney 1-1 (1-0 pen), L Nerney 1-0, E Healy 0-1.
Armagh
A Carr; S Grey, C McCambridge, L Kenny; G Ferguson, L McConville, C Towe; N Coleman, E Lavery; B Mackin, A Mackin, C Marley; C O’Hagan, K Mallon, A McCoy.
Subs: E Druse for Kenny (38), N Marley for Lavery (39), N Reel for O’Hagan (46), B Hendron for Mallon, C O’Hanlon for C Marley (both 57).
Laois
E Barry; S Farrelly, C Dunne, A Kelly; S Havill, E Healy, L Nerney; A Healy, A Moran; E Galvin, O Hennessy, E Fitzpatrick; M Nerney, SA Fitzgerald, LM Maher.
Subs: G Lalor for Moran (53), A Kirrane for L Nerney (57).
Ref: Gus Chapman (Sligo)
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