Spirited Donegal comeback falls short by inches as Armagh win Ulster

Donegal’s bid for a fifth Ulster LGFA title in seven seasons ended in heartbreak as they got back level from nine points down only to lose out to Armagh by a single point in today's final at Healy Park.

Donegal 3-11
Armagh 3-12

It looked as though Donegal were on the cusp, but Armagh steadied themselves to squeeze their way to back-to-back titles. In the end, a point from Fionnuala McKenna was the difference between the teams amid chaotic scenes at the conclusion.

Caption: Armagh's Aimee Mackin is tracked by Donegal's Nicole McLaughlin and Amy Boyle Carr.
Photos David Doherty

Geraldine McLaughlin, even in defeat, was named as player of the match with 1-10 while Armagh’s star turn - Aimee Mackin - scored two vital first half goals for the eventual victors.

With Karen Guthrie being named in the starting team and then being demoted to the bench having failed to shake off a calf injury, Niamh Carr being sin-binned for her first challenge with barely a minute played and Armagh netting inside of four, Maxi Curran might’ve thought the gods were contriving against him.

That goal came when Niamh Reel picked up possession and ran at the Donegal defence and shot over Aoife McColgan in the Donegal goal. 

More than most, Donegal know well how fast momentum can change from one minute to the next and with conditions unpredictable and slippery in the constant muggy rain, managed to get back on terms and 1-1 apiece on six minutes through a Niamh McLaughlin goal.

The Donegal skipper picked up the ball deep and spotting a gap made an inroad for the open space. Tiana Grimes, the Armagh wing-back, was stuck between a rock and a hard place faced with the McLaughlins Niamh and Geraldine. A neat one-two meant the former punched into the empty net to level.

Mackin, though, was about to make her mark. Firstly with a sweetly struck shot as you’ll see on the left, having used the right for the final solo, before adding a free. Then, on 15 minutes, Mackin got on the end of a pass from her sister Bláithín to shoot a second Armagh goal, which made for a 2-3 to 1-2 lead at the water-break.

Without her stablemate Guthrie, Geraldine McLaughlin was under even more scrutiny up top and the Termon forward was making as much as she could with the possession that came her away. Her third point of the afternoon came on 16 minutes and when Niamh McLaughlin followed up with another point, Donegal were back to two down, 2-3 to 1-4.

However, Armagh pressed up on McColgan’s kick-outs and enjoyed a fruitful second quarter. Catherine Marley, Mackin and Kelly Mallon also kicked points. And on 24 minutes Mackin’s give and go with Mallon meant a second Armagh goal and Donegal were in trouble, 3-7 to 1-4 down.

Curran made the decision to take Roisin McCafferty on in goal for McColgan, whose clearances were towards the wings and certainly not gift-wrapped, but were getting gobbled by Armagh, who were pushing up. Donegal, in contrast, weren’t as forceful on Anna Carr’s kick-outs.

A strong finish to the half gave Donegal some hope at the interval, with Geraldine McLaughlin popping over a free before, with the last play of the half, Herron netting a similar goal to Niamh McLaughlin’s earlier. This time the Moville player played the assist - it was the type of goal you’d commonly see Ryan McHugh score.

Herron’s goal meant she’d scored in every championship match Donegal played in 2021 - against Cavan, Galway, Kerry, Dublin and now Armagh.

At the break, it wasn’t ideal for Donegal at 3-7 to 2-5 down as Evelyn McGinley was binned on 22 minutes. But it could’ve been worse. Armagh lost captain Mallon late in the half to a yellow as well.

Geraldine McLaughlin struck the upright the second time in the match at the start of part two but recovered to point. She then kicked a free and another point. Suddenly, without even hitting top gear and only six minutes into the second half Donegal were back to just a couple behind, 3-7 to 2-8.

McCafferty in goal was making use of her cameo by seeing as much of Healy Park as she could. Donegal were chasing goals too -  Evelyn McGinley got on the end of the move and skewed wide and the Herron fed in Niamh McLaughlin only for Carr in the Amagh goal to make a brave save. 

Just when Armagh were about to get Mallon back on, they lost substitute Megan Sheridan to remain at 14 players. Bláithín Mackin scored Armagh’s first point in 15 minutes. But with the last kick of the third quarter, with her 10th point, Geraldine McLaughlin drew Donegal level 2-11 to 3-8. 

Bláithín Mackin, at the start of the last quarter, kicked another boomer and Tiarna Grimes added another to remind Donegal that while they wanted to continue with their forward momentum, they needed to keep an eye on the back door too.

Nicole McLaughlin was playing a big part in her patrols of Aimee Mackin. When Mallon scored a free on 50 minutes, it was Armagh’s third on the trot and they were 3-11 to 2-11 ahead going down to final straight. 

Grace Ferguson, the Armagh corner-back, played a square ball two minutes later and must’ve felt her stomach turn as it landed right in Geraldine McLaughlin’s pass and she went on to shoot inside Carr’s near post for a third Donegal goal. It was level again at 3-11 apiece. 

With Donegal having bother getting their kick-outs away late on though, Armagh edged in front again and try as they might Donegal couldn’t squeeze another point out of it.

Donegal: Aoife McColgan; Niamh Carr, Evelyn McGinley, Kate Keeney; Treasa Jenkins, Nicole McLaughlin, Amy Boyle Carr; Katy Herron (1-1), Shelly Twohig; Bláthnáid McLaughlin, Niamh McLaughlin (1-0), Niamh Boyle; Niamh Hegarty, Annie Marie Logue, Geraldine McLaughlin (1-10, 3f). Subs: Roisin McCafferty for McColgan (25), Suzanna White for B McLaughlin (36), Roisin Rodgers for Boyle (46), Kate McCleneghan for Hegarty (59), Aisling Nee for Logue (59)

Armagh: Anna Carr; Grace Ferguson, Clodagh McCambridge, Niamh Marley; Tiarna Grimes (0-1), Lauren McConville, Blaithin Mackin (0-2); Niamh Coleman, Caroline O’Hanlon; Eve Lavery, Aoife McCoy, Catherine Marley (0-1); Aimee Mackin (2-4, 2f), Kelly Mallon (0-3, 3f), Niamh Reel (1-0). Subs: Alexandra Clarke and Megan Sheridan for N Marley and Reel (half-time), Fionnuala McKenna (0-1) for Lavery (46), Sarah Marley for Sheridan (50), Mairead Tennyson for B Mackin (59)

Referee: Brendan Rice (Down).