Waterford lady footballers overcome Armagh

Waterford lady footballers got their TG4 All Ireland Championship up and running, with a well deserved win over a fancied Armagh side in Clane on Saturday last. Playing into a slight wind in the first half, the Deise girls got the best possible start , when a free floated in  from Maria Delahunty was palmed to the net by Michelle Ryan after only 30 seconds of play. Immediately from the kick-out Aileen Wall pointed and Maria Delahunty put five between the teams in the 4^th minute with a pointed free. Armagh opened their account with an Aimee Mackin point in the 8^th minute but this was quickly cancelled out by another Aileen Wall point in the 9^th minute.

Waterford at this stage were playing a high pressure game and pressure on the kick out from Anna Carr in the Armagh goal resulted in possession for Caoimhe Mc Grath and the Abbeyside girl made no mistake to bury the ball in the bottom of the net to leave Waterford 8 points up after 10 minutes. It could have been much worse for the Orchard County as their goalie came to their rescue in the 12^th minute with a wonderful point-blank save from Lauren Mc Gregor to deny Waterford a third goal.

Armagh came back into the game and three points in quick succession, two from Aimee Mackin and one from mid-fielder Caroline O Hanlon left five points between the sides after 18 minutes. A brilliant move out of defence resulted in Lauren Mc Gregor and Aileen Wall playing a one-two and the Ballymac girl buried the ball past a hapless Anna Carr in the Armagh goal to leave the score Waterford 3-3 Armagh 0-4 after 20 minutes. Kelly Mallon added a point from a free to cut the deficit in the 21^st minute. In the 22^nd minute Waterford mid-fielder Karen Mc Grath was harshly sin-binned for a very innocuous challenge, Caroline O Hanlon from the resulting free set up Catherine Morley for a point but Michelle Ryan quickly cancelled this out with an effort from 30 yards out. Caroline O Hanlon who was by now settling into mid-field in the absence of Karen Mc Grath helped herself to an Armagh point in the 27^th minute but true to form Waterford countered and Aileen Wall finished off a move that she had started herself with a wonderful point in the 29^th minute. Waterford got a let off in the last play of the first half when Aimee Mackin’s goal bound rocket smacked off the crossbar and rebounded into the grateful arms of a Waterford defender as referee Niall Mc Cormack blew the half time whistle with Waterford well in command on the score-line 3-5 to 0-7.

Any doubts that Waterford could keep the relentless pace that they had displayed in the first half were quickly dispelled as the Déise scored four points in the first four minutes of the second half with three from Maria Delahunty and a great effort from Michelle Ryan before the Armagh girls opened their second half account with a point from half back Sharon Reel in the 5^th minute. Armagh then hit their purple patch with three unanswered points courtesy of Aimee Mackin, Aoibhinn Henderson and Bláithín Mackin followed by a goal from corner forward Aimee Mackin in the 13^th minute to leave only four points between the teams in what was turning into a pulsating contest. Aileen Wall steadied the ship with an important point in the 15^th minute and three substitutions and a number of astute positional switches by manager Pat Sullivan gave Waterford fresh legs and an impetus to kick on for victory.

Maria Delahunty kicked her fifth point of the match with a fine effort after brilliant team play in the 17^th minute and substitute Sinead Ryan got in on the scoring act with a point of her own in the 21^st minute. Catherine Marley scored a point for Armagh in the 22^nd minute but the Waterford reply was instant a sixth point from Maria Delahunty. Armagh to their credit were never prepared to give up and it took a great save from Waterford goalie Katie Hannon to keep them out in the 24^thminute. Waterford attacked again and a run through the middle by Mairéad Wall, off-loaded the ball to her sister Linda who found the third member of the Wall family with a superb pass inside the defence, Aileen made no mistake to put the ball in the net and bring the Waterford tally to 4 goals and 13 points in the 26^th minute.

Armagh won the kick-out and hoisted a high ball into the full forward line where Caroline O Hanlon was quickest to react and score a goal. Aimee Mackin added a point in the last minute but these were mere consolation scores for Armagh. Referee Niall Mc Cormack blew the final whistle to leave Waterford well deserved winners on the score line of Waterford 4-13 Armagh 2-13. Waterford now move on to the next round of the All Ireland series where they meet Kerry on Saturday 6^th August at a venue to be decided

Scorers for Waterford: A Wall 2-4, M Delahunty 0-6 (4f), M Ryan 1-2, C McGrath 1-0, S Ryan 0-1.

Scorers for Armagh: A Mackin 1-6 (0-2f), C O’Hanlon 1-2, S Reel, B Mackin, K Mallon (f), A Henderson & C Marley 0-1 each.

WATERFORD: K Hannon; M Wall, M McGrath, L Wall; L Ryan, M Dunford, H Power, K McGrath, E Murray; G Kenneally, M Delahunty, C McGrath; A Wall, M Ryan, L McGregor.

Subs: K Murray for C McGrath (44), S Ryan for McGregor (48), A Mullaney for L Ryan (49), N Fennell for Kenneally (56), R Tobin for M Ryan (60).

ARMAGH: A Carr; C Morgan, C McCambridge, M Tennyson; S Reel, F McKenna, M Sheridan; N Marley, C O’Hanlon; B Mackin, K Mallon, N Coleman; C Marley, S Finnegan, A Mackin.

Subs: S Marley for Morgan (36), A Henderson for B Mackin (39).

Referee: N McCormack (Laois)