Donegal 2-4 Armagh 1-15: Mackin inspires holders to Ulster win over Donegal

Aimee Mackin continued the brilliant form which saw her being named as the ladies footballer of the month for April

Aimee Mackin's nine points helped holders Armagh open their Ulster Football Championship campaign with a 1-15 to 2-4 victory over Donegal.

Mackin kicked three first-half frees and notched six points from play in the second half, with Kelly Mallon also hitting 1-3 for Armagh in Lifford.

Tara Hegarty and Amy Boyle Carr hit early Donegal goals but Maxi Curran's side only led 2-1 to 0-5 at half-time.

Armagh were already five ahead when Mallon notched their late goal.

The Orchard County defeated Donegal in the last two of their three-in-a-row Ulster successes, with the provincial championship going to the north-west in the three years before that.

However, the balance of power is certainly now in the orange corner, with the sides expected to meet in this year's decider, unless Cavan can pull off a win in Armagh.

Donegal, who had opened their championship with a 1-6 to 0-4 win in Cavan, got off to the perfect start as Hegarty and Boyle Carr netted.

The opening goal came on seven minutes when Hegarty slapped in at the back post having been set up by Katie Dowds and then on 12 minutes, Boyle Carr sped into space and shot herself to give the hosts a second goal which put them 2-0 to 0-1 ahead.

But Armagh finished the half strongly, keeping in touch through frees from Mackin and Mallon plus an Eve Lavery point.

Armagh then fired over five on the bounce at the start of the second half with a superb long-ranger from Mackin on 39 minutes edging them in front.

The inexperienced Donegal side saw their attacks break down frequently, although Karen Guthrie finally broke the Armagh run with a 45th-minute point.

Ciara McGarvey kicked two late Donegal frees for the hosts but Armagh netted their goal after a clearance from Armagh goalkeeper Anna Carr went all the way through to Mallon.

On a busy day of action in the provinces, Mayo won their first Connacht Ladies Football title since 2016 when they defeated Galway 3-13 to 2-9 at Castlebar.

In the Leinster semi-final, Dublin hammered Laois 3-14 to 0-3 while in the round-robin action in Munster, Cork hit 2-4 without reply in the closing stages to snatch a 2-14 to 2-14 draw against National League champions Kerry in Pairc Ui Chaoimh while Waterford defeated Tipperary 1-9 to 1-7.

Donegal: C Friel; N Carr, A Temple Asokuh, Nicole McLaughlin; E Gallagher, S McGroddy, T Hegarty (1-0); K Herron, Niamh McLaughlin; A Boyle Carr (1-0), L Ryan, R Rodgers; K Long (0-1), K Dowds, K Guthrie (0-1).

Subs: S White and C McGarvey (0-2) for Long and McGroddy 44.

Armagh: A Carr; S Grey, C McCambridge, C Towe (0-1); G Ferguson, L McConville, E Druse; N Coleman, E Lavery (0-1); B Mackin, A Mackin (0-9), C Marley; N Marley, K Mallon (1-3), A McCoy.

Subs: T Grimes for Lavery 41, C O'Hagan (0-1) for Coleman 48, M Lennon for C Marley 54, M Ferguson for N Marley 56, A McConville for McCoy 58

Referee: Gavin Finnegan (Down)

TG4 LADIES FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Ulster Senior Championship

Donegal 2-4 Armagh 1-15

Ulster Intermediate Championship

Monaghan 1-13 Antrim 3-12

Ulster Junior Championship

Down 1-20 Derry 1-3

Connacht Senior Final

Mayo 3-13 Galway 2-9

Leinster Senior Semi-Final

Dublin 3-14 Laois 0-3

Munster Senior Championship

Cork 2-14 Kerry 2-14

Waterford 1-9 Tipperary 1-7