TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Armagh 4-10 Cork 1-9

Built on the solid foundations of Lauren McConville, Emily Druse and Clodagh McCambridge, Armagh secured a 10-point win over Cork at Pairc Ui Rinn in the opening round of the All-Ireland series on Saturday.

The tigerish McConville was the target for some industrial challenges over the hour too, but showed class and quality to lead her side to a valuable away win.

Aimee Mackin fired in three first-half goals as Armagh led by eight points at the break against the breeze, but they really had to weather a massive Cork challenge in the third quarter that produced two big goal chances.

Armagh manager Greg Mc Gonigle was happy with the opening: “It was a good start for us and that damaged Cork’s expectations as we went in eight up against the breeze, we had a good spread of scorers too.”

“We showed that two years ago with key wins away from home, but look, we meet Waterford now at home, they beat us by ten points at the Athletic grounds, we know what to expect.”

Dominating the first half, Armagh crashed home a goal in four minutes to add to Aoife McCoy’s early point.

Indeed, Mackin was excellent, her first goal, initiated by her own solo and going on the halfway line, a penalty followed when Caroline O’Hanlon was fouled, and the third came on twenty minutes when Kelly Mallon’s long ball was spilt by goalkeeper Sarah Murphy, and Mackin was there to sweep it home for number three.

All Cork could muster in the first half was five points, Aine Terry O’Sullivan tagging on three, Murphy and Cleary the others, with the Orchard side threatening in every attack.

Druse and Mallon went close with goal efforts as McConville bossed the back with McCambridge.

Mallon missed two early second-half chances, and while Mackin landed a great point to cancel out Katy Quirke’s quick score, it was Cork who threw everything into the third quarter.

Quirke added a seventh point, and fresh off the bench, Leah Hannihan fisted over to close the gap to six.

They could so easily have been back in the game though, as they squandered three goal chances.

O’Sullivan, Hannihan and Cleary were guilty of miscues, and they were punished. Cassie Henderson and Mallon pointed before a last kick from Cork.

Quirke pointed a free and a shot from Aimee Corcoran was touched to the net by Hannihan to leave four between the teams with five minutes left.

There were calls for an Armagh breech, but the officials played on and from a great move involving Druse and O’Hanlon.

Blathin Mackin drilled over a two-pointer with Henderson adding a 10th point and McCoy teeing up Caiomhe McNally for a fourth Armagh goal and the perfect start to their All-Ireland series.

Armagh Scorers: A Mackin 3-2, C Mc Nally 1-0, B Mackin 0-2 (1t/p), A Mc Coy, K Mallon and Henderson 0-2 each

Cork Scorers: L Hannihan 1-1, A T O’Sullivan 0-3, K Quirke 0-3, G Murphy and E Cleary 0-1 each