​Orchard County make history as Lauren McConville hits the century mark

​A wonderful free from Aimee Mackin in injury-time gave the Orchard outfit their sixth consecutive victory this season as Armagh made history by booking their place in the National League final for the first time ever.

Ace markswoman Mackin’s curling long-range effort from the more difficult side for a left-footed kicker, into the wind, secured an Armagh win which had looked like slipping away on a landmark afternoon for Lauren McConville.

On her younger brother Cian’s birthday and the twenty-sixth anniversary of her dad Jim captaining Crossmaglen to their first All Ireland Club title, the formidable McConville lined out for her hundreth Armagh match without ever having been injured or dropped.

McCoy set up the first Armagh goal for Mackin and then raised a green flag herself as Greg McGonigle’s side established a nine-point interval lead after playing with the breeze behind them in the opening period.

Avoiding defeat in Ballina was enough for Armagh to reach Croke Park but it didn’t look like they would need the draw as a fall-back when so well placed at the break with the scoreboard showing 2-5 to 0-2.

The orangewomen were left having to dig deep as Mayo managed to get on the front foot and were back on level terms by the fifty-third minute after a precise reversal of the first half scoreline.

With Orchard icon Caroline O’Hanlon less than halfway through her sinbin period and the momentum emphatically with Mayo, it felt ominous for an Armagh team just back in Division 1 after a six-season absence.

Mayo nudged Armagh ahead only for midfielder Aoife Geraghty to fist an equalising score at the other end before O’Hanlon returned and it was ultimately left to Mackin to settle what was a fairly feisty contest by converting the difficult free won by that woman McCoy.

It still took young Clann Eireann defender Roisin Mulligan, Armagh’s find of the season, to win a ball brilliantly followed by O’Hanlon trotting around with it running the clock down before the final whistle confirmed the Orchard crew will finish top of the table.

Had Armagh lost they would have had a second chance to secure the point they needed when All-Ireland champions Dublin come to the Athletic Grounds this Saturday (2.45pm, TG4), though the visitors could have pipped them to a place in the final with a win.

Instead, Armagh are already assured of their ticket to Croke Park but Dublin are still chasing Kerry for the other spot in the showpiece after both teams won at the weekend, against relegation-threatened Cork and Meath respectively.

It remains to be seen whether McGonigle will want Armagh to put their best foot forward in an attempt to maintain momentum or rest players ahead of the historic NFL final on April 7 and perhaps seek to keep powder dry.

The new Armagh manager has fielded a fairly settled side so far this season and named an unchanged team for Sunday’s Mayo match, though on the day there were two changes from the published line-up.

Ballyhegan’s Eve Lavery came in for Harps prospect Emily Druse, ending her run of 11 consecutive starts, while reserve goalkeeper Brianna Mathers of Shane O’Neills was between the posts in place of regular Anna Carr from neighbouring club Carrickcruppen.

Although the visitors struggled on their own kickouts in the second half, Mathers took the opportunity to remind everyone that Armagh are fortunate to have two good keepers, making one fantastic save and demonstrating confidence under the high ball.

Former skipper Kelly Mallon kicked two frees before being substituted quite early again, replaced by Clonmore’s Sarah Quigley on 40 minutes, while Druse took over from Lavery at the same juncture with both Maeve Ferguson and Caitriona O’Hagan introduced later.

Armagh may not be particularly content with their second half display but still came out on the right side of the result while Liam McHale’s Mayo will lament chances not taken on a day they chalked up 11 wides to eight by the team in orange.

Ironically, eventual Orchard hero Mackin’s radar had been off at times in the opening period, missing a straightforward free and a good goal chance but, while she improved, Mayo were guilty of kicking a very costly six wides in a seven-minute spell in the last quarter.

This was a much more cagey affair than the game against Kerry when all 14 of Armagh’s points came from play whereas five of the nine white flags raised here were from frees, three of those by Mackin within her haul of 1-5.

It would have taken the concession of a last-gasp goal to leave Armagh sweating on their historic league final appearance for a further six days but, by keeping Mayo from scoring even a point, the visitors came away with the win in McConville’s milestone match.

SCORERS

ARMAGH: A Mackin (1-5; 3f), K Mallon (0-2; 2f), N Coleman (0-1), A McCoy (1-1).

MAYO: S Walsh (1-2), M Cannon (0-3; 2f); A Geraghty (0-1), L Cafferky (0-1).

Referee: Aaron Clogher (Roscommon)