Free-scoring Armagh win the U16 All-Ireland B title

All-Ireland U16 B Football Championship Final: Armagh 7-18 Galway 1-12

The Armagh trio of Aoife Hagan, Cassie Henderson and Player of the Match Lily McBennett illuminated Glennon Brothers Pearse Park with a scintillating display of direct, pacey and stylish football ensuring the Orchard County retained their All-Ireland U16 B title at Galway’s expense with plenty to spare.

The Armagh players celebrate after their side's victory in the LGFA All-Ireland U16 B Championship final match between Armagh and Galway at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford. Pictures: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

placeholder image — The Armagh players celebrate after their side's victory in the LGFA All-Ireland U16 B Championship final match between Armagh and Galway at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford. Pictures: Stephen Marken/Sportsfile

It was a testament to Galway’s spirit and their quality that they kept working at the game, creating eight excellent second half points, including highlight reel scores from Nicole Miskell, Chloe Flynn and Niamh Ní Ghionnáin, but from the midway point in the first half there was little doubt that the cup would be heading to Ulster.

Galway did strike the first of the game’s eight goals, Lábhaoise Keane pouncing on a lobbed shot from Niamh Ní Ghionnáin to fire low past Lily O’Neill, but once Lily McBennett’s free kick dipped just under the Galway crossbar three minutes later, Armagh were on a roll and never looked like being reeled in.

Armagh manager Declan McBennett with his daughter Lily McBennett after the LGFA All-Ireland U16 B Championship final match between Armagh and Galway at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford.

Hagan gave them a solid platform with a dominant display at centre back, winning turnovers and driving out of defence with power and intent, while the craft and creation came from Henderson and McBennett in the half-forward line.

The two players combined for Henderson to score the second Armagh goal, McBennett fired in the third with Hagan involved in the build-up, and Galway’s rapidly diminishing hopes were scuppered entirely when Abigail McMahon fired a shot off the outside of her right boot into the top corner to make it 4-6 to 1-1 after a little over 20 minutes.

Grace McMahon led the resistance for Galway and she tacked on three points by half-time, but Armagh looked comfortable in possession and slick in their passing throughout, and McBennett’s left boot (and one fisted strike) yielded 2-5 by half-time, contributing to a 4-11 to 1-4 lead.

Galway arguably got more of the better scores in the second half as they took nine shots for points and scored eight, but two excellent saves from Lily O’Neill, including one from a penalty, ensured they never added to Keane’s early goal.

Cassie Henderson of Armagh in action against Lábhaoise Keane of Galway.

Meanwhile McMahon and Henderson got their second goals, with Charlotte Havern weighing in with a seventh Armagh green flag to further emphasise their dominance.

MATCH STATS

Armagh: L O’Neill; C Carnegie, B Carragher, O Reynolds; N McKenna, A Hagan (0-1), A McGeown; E Hart, E McCann; L McBennett (2-7, 1-1f), C Henderson (2-3), J McCreesh (0-2); B Magee, C Havern (1-1), A McMahon (2-2).

Subs: E Duffy for N McKenna (42), K Darby for J McCreesh (45), C McGeary for B Magee (48), C O’Hanlon (0-2) for A McMahon (53), A Mackle for E McCann (55)

Abigail McMahon of Armagh in action against Roisin Conroy of Galway.

Galway: E Diskin; C O’Neill, R Conroy, S Conneely; C Ní Ghionnáin, A Hughes, G Duggan; E D’Arcy Devine (0-1), G McGrath (0-5, 2f); C Flynn (0-2), L Keane (1-0), N Miskell (0-2); E Daly (0-1), K Maloney, N Ní Ghionnáin (0-1).

Subs: M McGrath for L Keane (22), N Garvey for A Hughes (ht), G Gavin for S Conneely (ht), C Duggan for C Flynn (42), E Fallon for N Miskell (48)

Referee: Ray McBride (Dublin).