Kildare rue second-half swing as Armagh pull clear
Kildare wing back Caoimhe O'Sullivan in action away to Armagh.
Kildare let a promising first-half lead slip as Armagh powered through after the interval to claim a 1-18 to 1-11 victory in round one of the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship in Derrymacash on Saturday.
The Lilywhites looked in control at the break, leading 1-7 to 0-8 after a strong second quarter. Niamh Mortell’s 17th-minute goal proved a turning point in the first half, nudging Kildare in front, and they built on that momentum with three more points in the following 10 minutes.
Róisin Forde was central to everything good about Kildare’s play in that period, finishing the opening half with five points, including a late score on the whistle, to send her side in two points ahead.
Kildare had earlier settled well into the contest despite Armagh shading the opening exchanges. The sides traded scores early on before Mortell struck for goal, and it was the visitors who finished the half with the greater attacking intent.
However, the game slipped away from Kildare on the restart. Armagh hit the first four points of the second half, three via frees from Rachel Trainor, quickly erasing the deficit and swinging momentum firmly in their favour.
Though Forde responded from a placed ball, Kildare were unable to stem the tide as Armagh’s physically dominant middle third began to take control. A decisive spell between the 40th and 52nd minutes saw the hosts rack up an unanswered 1-5, effectively settling the contest.
Naoise Hughes struck the crucial goal during that period, while veteran Ciara Geoghegan, making her first start in three years, chipped in with three points as Armagh stretched clear.
Kildare continued to battle but struggled to create the same level of chances they had fashioned before the break, with Armagh’s defence tightening up considerably in the closing stages.
There were positives for Kildare, particularly in the first-half showing and the performance of Forde, who finished with eight points overall, six of them from play. Mortell’s goal and work rate up front also offered encouragement, while the side showed attacking fluency during their best spell.
But the second-half drop-off and Armagh’s ability to seize control through their half-back line and midfield proved decisive.
Kildare will look to respond quickly when they face Roscommon in their next outing, a game that could be pivotal in shaping their championship campaign.
Ciarrí Devlin; Michelle McCone, Gemma McCann, Meabh O’Hare; Eimear O’Kane, Fiadhna Loughran, Alana McEntee; Eimear McGeary (0-1), Katie Convie; Niamh Forker (0-1), Corrina Doyle (0-2); Naoise Hughes (1-3, 0-3f), Rachael Trainor (0-6, 0-4f), Sinead Quinn, Ciara Geoghegan (0-5, 0-1f).
Roisin Roche; Niamh Krahn, Laoise Mimnagh, Sadhbh Horgan (capt); Caoimhe O’Sullivan, Shauna Dunne, Kate Murphy; Sadhbh Buckley, Aoife Stynes (0-2); Caoimhe Ní Bhuircéal (0-1), Roisin Forde (0-8, 0-4f); Molly Berns, Niamh Mortell (1-0), Sara Carroll, Aoife McDermott.
