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Armagh sharpshooter Aimee Mackin said the impact made by substitutes off the bench in each game has played a big part in their brilliant start to life back in the top flight of the Lidl National Football League.
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Mackin scored two late goals to seal a 3-14 to 1-13 win over Kerry in a battle of the Lidl Division 1 and Division 2 champions at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds in Armagh on Sunday.
“You can never win with just the 15 you have on the pitch, you’re looking for impact off the bench and our girls have been doing that since the first league game. The girls have been ready to go and have been doing that in training and have been pushing starting places, so whenever they’re called upon they’re ready, and they give energy to the girls that are on the field already,” said Mackin.
“At the start of the second half they pressed pretty heavy on our kickouts, and when you get that and you don’t win a few sometimes you can go into your shell a bit, but we had girls stood up when they needed to. Listen we’ll take the points but a lot to improve on still.”
A goal from Caroline O’Hanlon helped Armagh lead by double scores at 1-7 to 0-5 at the interval, before reigning league champions Kerry rallied after the restart.
A goal from Katie Brosnan helped them get back on level terms but while Kerry edged in front, it was Armagh who finished strongly with Aimee Mackin shooting two goals to maintain their perfect start to the season with a fifth win in succession for the side which won the Division 2 title last year. They were good value for their 3-14 to 1-13 victory.
Kerry forward Niamh Ní Chonchúir said they would need to take the learnings from their first defeat of the season. “We just have to regroup and get back to training, learn from the mistakes and why we didn’t push on when we got that lead towards the end. So just back to training, focus on our next game against Meath which will be a big game between the two of us.”
