Armagh Ladies get their campaign underway against Meath and Down hoping to score a win over Tyrone
TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Group 3 Round 1. Saturday June 7 (3pm) at Pairc Tailteann: Meath v Armagh
Armagh Ladies have their sights set on winning an All-Ireland title this year, and their campaign begins on Saturday against Meath.
Darnell Parkinson and Joe Feeney’s side have had their ups and downs this year, as they won their opening five league matches, but then lost three in-a-row, including a disappointing 15-point loss to Kerry in the league final.
However, they firmly put that result in the rear-view last time out, scoring a resounding 3-9 to 0-7 win over Donegal in the Ulster Final to retain their provincial crown, with Aoife McCoy finding the net twice and Niamh Coleman also raising a green flag.
Armagh reached the last four of the All-Ireland last season, but lost out to eventual champions Kerry. If they are to bring home the crown, they will need sharpshooting forward and 2020 Footballer of the Year Aimee Mackin back in the team, as she looks to return from a cruciate ligament injury which has kept her out for over 12 months.
Armagh will hope to top their group – which also contains fellow Division 1 side Kildare - and book a home quarter-final spot, and victory on Saturday would lay the platform for that.
The Orchard girls have had some tight encounters with Meath in recent meetings. They faced-off almost 12 months ago exactly (June 8th of last year) and Armagh won by a point following a late, late goal from Coleman.
However, Meath got the better of Armagh in the league earlier this year, also winning by a solitary point.
TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Group 2 Round 2. Sunday June 8 (2pm) at Pairc Esler: Down v Tyrone
Down already have a Championship group match under their belt, but things didn’t go to plan last Sunday as they were defeated by Westmeath 2-9 to 1-10.
Westmeath, with Caoimhe Kilmurray and Sarah Dillon prominent, led by 2-5 to 0-6 at the end of the opening half. Down hit back with a goal from Niamh Rice early in the second half but Westmeath, with goalkeeper Aoife Temple saving a penalty, held on for victory.
The result means that Down will exit the Championship on Sunday, should they lose against Tyrone.
On paper, it makes for a tough task as the Red Hand girls played Division 1 football this season, whilst the Mourne Ladies were in Division 3. But Down got the better of Tyrone when they met in the Ulster Championship Semi-final.
The game was a nail-biter which came down to the final seconds of extra-time, but after 80 minutes of football, Eimear Fitzpatrick landed the winning score.
The Ulster rivals also met in last year’s All-Ireland Intermediate Semi-final last year, and it was another close affair. But on that occasion, Tyrone ran out 2-11 to 1-11 winners.
It’s all to play for on Sunday for Colm Donnelly’s side, and he’ll be hoping that they can secure the win and in doing so, keep their place in the Championship.