Early Goals Set Kerry on Path to Armagh Win

Once Kerry got ahead with early goals from Niamh Carmody and O’Leary at Saturday's Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1 Final, the scoring chances just didn't go Armagh's way.

“I felt actually the first five or 10 minutes we were playing okay,” said Armagh joint manager Darnell Parkinson. “We probably missed a few chances just to sort of settle the nerves. Getting ourselves ticking over, get the scoreboard ticking over.

 “Then obviously they get a goal and then you have to chase a team like Kerry. They’re so good at football, they’re so comfortable on the ball, that’s when they will hurt you.

“It’s disappointing enough to concede a goal off a situation where effectively we’re under control, on our own kick-out. Something that we had worked on too, but after that it was a case of almost any sort of half chance that we did have, it didn’t go our way. Any sort of half chance they had, it seemed the ball was in the back of the net or going over the bar.

Kerry manager Mark Bourke hailed his players as the reigning TG4 All-Ireland champions delivered silverware in his first season in charge as they dethroned Armagh to win their 13th Lidl National Football League Division 1 crown.
 
Bourke and his charges will now turn their attention to the defence of their TG4 All-Ireland crown after Danielle O’Leary struck a magnificent haul of 1-5 at Croke Park on Saturday evening to impressively claim the crown.
 
“They bought into everything straight away,” said Bourke. “The environment was outstanding to begin with and if the environment is right, all I have to worry about is the facilitating of the training sessions and the game plan.
 
“I felt that there really was very minimal work for me from my side of it. It was just to get the management team together. Margaret Slattery and Nora O’Connor (selectors) were outstanding.
 
“They know the girls, they’ve been with the girls for the last number of years. At different levels, at minor and juvenile level and club level. All I had to do was make sure I picked people who knew what they were doing and facilitated it. It was great.”

Niamh Carmody pointed after the early goals before Armagh finally got up and running with three unanswered points from Lauren McConville and Eve Lavery (two). 

A speculative strike from distance by Jadyn Lucey dropped into the net for her second goal (and Kerry’s fourth) on 37 minutes which effectively eliminated any prospect of a dramatic fightback from Armagh.

To Armagh’s credit, they did persevere with their challenge during the closing quarter of the game with substitutes Caoimhe McNally and Kelly Mallon finding the target to supplement four additional points from Reel. Yet with O’Leary (two), O’Shea and Rachel Dwyer all firing over scores of their own, Kerry eased towards their deserved victory.
 
 Final score Kerry 4-14 - Armagh 0-11