Armagh 3-14 Kerry 1-13

By Rebecca Dobbin Dnaghy

ARMAGH maintained their perfect start to this season’s Lidl NFL when they inflicted a first defeat of the campaign on reigning champions Kerry at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.

Armagh led by double scores at the break with a Caroline O’Hanlon goal putting them into a commanding 1-7 to 0-5 lead.

Kerry rallied in the second half as they tried to preserve their unbeaten record and managed to edge in front, but Armagh came with another rally and two goals from Aimee Macken sealed a deserved win.

Armagh won all eight games when winning promotion from Division 2 last season and they have adapted seamlessly to life in the top flight, with their fifth win in a row.

O’Hanlon’s goal from close range put Armagh in the driving seat, although two points from Emma Dineen before the break helped keep Kerry in touch.

The reigning league champions started the second half strongly and Niamh Carmody and Anna Galvin landed good points.

And they got back on level terms eleven minutes after the restart when Katie Brosnan found the net for Kerry to tie the game at 1-8 apiece.

Hannah O’Donoghue edged Kerry in front with a point before Corinna Doyle equalised and then Armagh’s Niamh Henderson and Brosnan exchanged scores to leave them tied at 1-10 each going into the final quarter.

The game was there for the taking for both sides but it was Aimee Macken who took over from there. She pushed Armagh back in front with two points and then slotted home a penalty to put five between them going into the closing stages.

Armagh didn’t relent and kept pushing forward at every opportunity to claim another superb win.

Kerry were unable to mount another comeback and the issue was sealed when Macken got through to shoot her second goal and Armagh’s third to maintain their brilliant start to the campaign.

Scorers – Armagh: A Mackin 2- 6 (1-0 pen), C O’Hanlon 1-1, A McCoy 0-2, N Henderson 0-1, C Doyle 0-1, L McConville 0-1, N Coleman 0-1, E Lavery 0-1.

Kerry: K Brosnan 1-2, N Carmody 0-3 (1f), Emma Dineen 0-3, A Galvin 0-2, H O’ Donnoghue 0-2, L Ni Mhuircheartaigh 0-1 (f)

ARMAGH: A Carr; G Ferguson, C MCambridge, R Mulligan; C Towe, L McConville, D Coleman; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; E Drus, A McCoy, C Doyle; A Mackin, N Henderson, K Mallon. Subs: S Quigley for Mallon (42), E Lavery for Henderson (55), C O’Hagan for Doyle (55) M McCann for McCoy (58)

KERRY: C Butler; E Lynch, D Kearney, F O’Donoghue; A O’Connell, K Cromin, C Lynch; M O’Connell, A Galvin; N Carmody, N Ni Conchuír, A Harrington; K Brosnan, E Dineen, H O’Donoghue. Subs: C O’Brien for F O’Donoghue (half-time), D O’Leary for Ni Conchuír (39), L Ni Mhuircheartaigh for Dineen (45), C Murphy for Lynch (50), C McCarthy for O’Connell (56), S Burns for Harrington (58).

Referee: John Murphy (Tipperary).