Mallon points the way as Armagh triumph

Lidl National Football League Division 1

Armagh 0-13

Kildare 0-9

By Daire Walsh

Kelly Mallon registered five points at Manguard Park in Hawkfield as Armagh overcame a stubborn challenge from Kildare to record their first win in this season’s Lidl National Football League Division 1.

Aiming to build on their draw with the newly-promoted Cork in last weekend’s opening round, Kildare moved two points in front during the early stages of this contest thanks to fine efforts from attacking duo Alannah Prizeman and Ciara Wheeler.

Armagh subsequently got up and running when team captain Lauren McConville split the posts at the end of an intricate attack, but their Lilywhite counterparts ultimately moved three clear on the first quarter mark after a fisted point from Lisa Shaw was supplemented by Prizeman’s second score of the game.

Armagh had kickstarted their NFL campaign last weekend with a defeat at home to Waterford, but the Ulster women came roaring into contention in this game courtesy of unanswered points from Catherine Marley and the reliable Mallon (two).

Momentum was suddenly on the side of the visitors and with their entire full-forward line of Aoife McCoy, Maeve Lennon and Mallon finding the target in the closing moments of the opening period, the 2024 champions brought a 0-7 to 0-4 cushion into the interval.

While Armagh immediately extended their lead on the resumption with a point from Lara Marsden, Kildare soon rediscovered their attacking rhythm. Following consecutive scores by Aoife Rattigan, Prizeman and Molly Aspell, the bare minimum separated the teams on the stroke of 40 minutes.

This ramped up the pressure on Armagh, but Greg McGonigle’s outfit kept their composure and restored their four-point cushion when half-backs McConville and Emily Druse found the range either side of another Mallon free.

The latter point arrived as a result of a ‘three up’ breach from Kildare, but dependable Lilies forward Prizeman also bagged a point under similar circumstances inside the final quarter. Although another breach by Armagh saw Prizeman increasing her tally on 53 minutes, Mallon and Druse had both raised white flags at the opposite end in advance of this effort.

Even though Kildare pushed hard for a way back into the reckoning during the dying embers of the play, Armagh held firm to collect the three points on offer.

Scorers – Armagh: K Mallon 0-5 (5f), E Druse, L McConville 0-2, L Marsden, C Marley, M Lennon, A McCoy 0-1 each.

Kildare: A Prizeman 0-5 (5f), L Shaw, C Wheeler, A Rattigan, M Aspell 0-1 each.

ARMAGH: B Mathers; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, A Donnelly; E Druse, L McConville, L Kavanagh; C Towe, G Ferguson; L Marsden, C Marley, C McNally; M Lennon, A McCoy, K Mallon. Subs: R Mulligan for McNally (28), K Shields for Lennon (42), E Lavery for Druse (55), C O’Hanlon for Marsden (60), E Druse for Ferguson (62).

KILDARE: R Fennin; A Mernagh, M Doherty, E Wheeler; H McLoughlin, R Sargent, L Lenehan; N Murphy, L Shaw; G Wheeler, C Wheeler, A Rattigan; A Murnane, A Prizeman, M Doyle. Subs: J Harney for Murnane (10-19), M Aspell for G Wheeler (33), J Harney for Doyle (37), M McDonagh for Rattigan (42), R Forde for Murphy (50), A Cahill for Murnane (56).

Referee: Brendan Rice (Down).