Lidl NFL Division 1

Armagh 0-8 Galway 0-6

By Shaun Casey

ARMAGH continued their winning start to their Lidl NFL Division 1 campaign with a two-point victory over Galway at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds. The swirling breeze proved difficult for both teams, although Armagh coped better with the conditions.

In a low scoring encounter, Armagh’s superior first half scoring haul kept them ahead as Galway mounted a credible comeback in the second period but couldn’t do enough to get something from the game.

Armagh were the dominant force in the opening period with the wind, posing the Galway defence problems on every attack while keeping Daniel Moynihan’s side scoreless for the first 30 minutes.

Not only that, but Galway’s uphill challenge became a huge mountain to climb ten minutes in when Linda Booth received a red card for a late and high challenge on Emily Druse.

By that stage Armagh had already opened their account, with Kelly Mallon’s delicate hand pass playing through Aoife McCoy before Mallon, playing at centerfield in the absence of Caroline O’Hanlon, shot over a free.

A second pointed free by Mallon was quickly followed, as Aimee Mackin got off the mark through a close range free while corner back Roisin Mulligan extended the advantage with a lovely taken score.

Galway had a chance to get back into the game with a rare attack but Mairead Glynn’s pass across the face of the goal towards Shauna Hynes, who was under pressure from Grace Ferguson, was punched wide.

‘That’s her first ever point for Armagh..’

See corner-back Roisin Mulligan score an important point in today’s @lidl_ireland NFL victory over Galway.

The video includes match action and there’s more from the game on our Facebook page. @ArmaghLGFA @eireann1910 @GalwayLgfa pic.twitter.com/tpKdU7oDtt

— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) February 4, 2024

Mallon had the final say of the first half when she added to her tally, stroking over a third free to leave her side six points ahead when the teams changed sides at 0-6 to 0-0.

The second half was just two minutes old when a more determined Galway got their end of the scoreboard up and running as Ailbhe Davoren split the posts before Roisin Leonard tapped over a free.

Leonard then played provider setting up a Leanne Coen score to cut the deficit to three. Mallon and Lauren McConville traded scores with Leonard before Armagh lost Mackin to a yellow card for the final few minutes.

Although Leonard laced over a late score as Galway searched for a goal, it wasn’t enough for the visiting side to get something from the game as they fell to a third defeat.

Scorers

Armagh: K Mallon 0-4 (4f), A McCoy 0-1, A Mackin 0-1 (1f), R Mulligan 0-1, L McConville 0-1.

Galway: R Leonard 0-4 (3f), A Davoren 0-1, L Coen 0-1.

Armagh: A Carr; G Ferguson, C McCambridge, R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville, D Coleman; N Coleman, N Murray; E Druse, A McCoy, S Quigley; A Mackin, L Kenny, K Mallon. Subs: E Lavery for S Quigley, M Feehan for N Murray, M O’Callaghan for E Druse, L Kavanagh for L Kenny.

Galway: D Gower; M Jordan, S Ni Loinsigh, E Gavin; K Geraghty, C Trill, A Ní Cheallaigh; M Glynn, L Coen; C Cleary, A Davoren, S Hynes; L Booth, A O’Rourke, R Leonard. Subs: M Walsh for C Cleary, E O’Riordan for C Trill, C McCarthy for S Hynes, E Reaney for A O’Rourke.

 Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan).