Niamh Henderson, Armagh, and Anna Galvin, Kerry, in Ladies National Football League Division One Final action at Croke Park. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
National Ladies Football League Division One Final
Kerry 4-14 Armagh 0-11
By Daire Walsh
Danielle O’Leary struck a magnificent haul of 1-5 at Croke Park on Saturday evening as a goal-hungry Kerry secured a record 13th National Football League Division 1 crown with a comprehensive victory over Armagh at Croke Park on Saturday evening.
Having lost out to Armagh in last year’s NFL top-tier decider at the same venue – a few short months before triumphing in the TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship – the Kingdom emphatically reclaimed a trophy they had most recently won back in 2023.
Picked out by Siofra O’Shea after she gathered an Armagh kick-out, last year’s All-Ireland winning skipper Niamh Carmody floated a looping effort over the head of Armagh netminder Anna Carr for a deadlock-breaking goal on seven minutes.
This major was complimented by a pointed free from O’Shea and after her initial strike on goal had rebounded off the post, livewire corner-forward O’Leary fired home a second Kerry goal in the 13th minute.
The impressive Carmody proceeded to split the uprights for a rampant Kingdom, before Armagh finally got up and running with three unanswered points from Lauren McConville and Eve Lavery (two).
Inside forwards Niamh Henderson and Niamh Reel (free) were also on hand to raise white flags in response to Jadyn Lucey and O’Leary at the opposite end, before a third goal courtesy of Lucey on 28 minutes propelled Kerry towards a 3-4 to 0-5 interval buffer.
O’Leary added to her tally on the resumption with another fine point, but the Kingdom faithful breathed a sigh of relief when Aoife McCoy and Niamh Henderson both went close to shaking the opposition net.
Yet Kerry continued to possess a potent attacking threat and after centre half-back Kayleigh Cronin broke free for an excellent point, a speculative strike from distance by Lucey dropped into the net for her second goal (and Kerry’s fourth) on 37 minutes.
This effectively eliminated any prospect of a dramatic fightback from Armagh, but Kerry still kept the scoreboard ticking over with four points without reply courtesy of Carmody, O’Shea, Niamh Ní Chonchúir and O’Leary.
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 a deserved victory.
Scorers for Kerry: D O’Leary 1-5, J Lucey 2-1, N Carmody 1-2, S O’Shea 0-3 (2f), K Cronin, N Ní Chonchúir, R Dwyer 0-1 each.
Scorers for Armagh: N Reel 0-5 (4f), E Lavery 0-2, L McConville, N Henderson, C McNally, K Mallon 0-1 each.
Kerry: ME Bolger; R Rahilly, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, K Cronin, A Dillane; M O’Connell, A Galvin; C Evans, N Ní Chonchúir, N Carmody; D O’Leary, S O’Shea, J Lucey. Subs: R Dwyer for Lucey, L Boyle for Carmody (both 45), C McCarthy for Dillane (51), F O’Donoghue for Rahilly (53), N Quinn for Ní Chonchúir (57).
Armagh: A Carr; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, L Kenny; L McConville, C Towe, R Mulligan; N Coleman, C O’Hanlon; E Druse, B Mackin, E Lavery; N Reel, A McCoy, N Henderson. Subs: G Ferguson for Kenny (11), K Mallon for Druse, C McNally for Lavery (both 40), E McGeown for Coleman (53), M McCann for Towe (57).
Referee: Shane Curley (Galway).
