Armagh 4-14 Tyrone 1-10
Aimee Mackin announced her return to the county game on Saturday. Armagh made light work of their near neighbours and made their third consecutive Ulster Final.
The awesome attacker had been side-lined with an ACL injury picked up last season, but demonstrated what ladies football had been missing.
Two quickfire goals from the Mackin sisters set the tone as the Orchard Ladies came bursting out of the traps, racing into a twelve-point led.
Aimee and Blaithin, along with Caroline O’Hanlon, were all late additions to the starting line up and played vital roles in the early destruction.
O’Hanlon dominated proceedings around the centre of the park and while Kelly Mallon also excelled at full forward.
The defence stood firm as well, with Clodagh McCambridge outstanding at full back while Sarah Marley got her hands on plenty of possession.
Armagh shot into a five-point lead with Aimee Mackin (2), Caroline O’Hanlon (2) and Kelly Mallon all on target early on.
The opening goal of the game followed when O’Hanlon picked out the run of Aimee Mackin with a brilliant kick pass.
The Shane O’Neill’s forward turned her marker, raced through on goal, and slipped the ball past the helpless keeper to give her side an eight-point lead.
What one Mackin could do, so could the other and three minutes later Blaithin buried the ball in the net, with Aimee this time providing the assist.
Tyrone did grab a three-pointer of their own with a fortunate effort from Niamh O’Neill, but Armagh were in no form for slowing down.
Catherine Marley got in on the scoring act and added to her early point with her sides third goal of the half.
The points kept coming as well, with Kelly Mallon and Aimee Mackin stretching the margin to fifteen as the half neared its end.
Eve Lavery also knocked over a lovely score before turning provider by setting up O’Hanlon for their fourth goal of the day.
The Carrickcruppen star showed a cool head when striking low to the net, setting up a seventeen-point half time lead, Armagh ahead 4-11 to 1-3.
The hard work was done, and Armagh took their foot off the gas in the second period but had done enough to sail through comfortably.
The girls in orange and white only landed three scores throughout the entire second period but Tyrone could never come close to them.
Kelly Mallon, Catherine Marley and Caroline O’Hanlon all split the posts as Armagh saw out an impressive 4-14 to 1-10 victory.
Ronan Murphy’s side now march on to the Ulster decider and they await the winners of Monaghan and Cavan in the final.
Given this weekend’s showing, Armagh will head into that one with plenty of confidence of going all the way.
Of course, they meet Tyrone once again in the All-Ireland series in two weeks’ time and it’s safe to say they’ll head into that one as heavy favourites.
