Armagh v Mayo

Saturday, Parnell Park, 3.15pm

By Niall Gartland
IT took a while to come to terms with Mayo’s brute physicality in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, so Armagh skipper Kelly Mallon hopes they’ve learned from the experience ahead of Saturday’s critically important group stage match.

The winners will progress to the All-Ireland semi-finals, and a draw wouldn’t be good enough for Armagh due to Mayo’s superior scoring difference after they stuffed Tyrone at the weekend.

Mayo are one of the top teams in the country but they only managed a three-point victory over the Orchard ladies last year, and Mallon is ready for what promises to be a bruising physical battle with no little skill on display as well.

“They beat us by three points but if you watch it back, they dominated very, very strongly in the first 10 or 15 minutes before we adjusted to how physical they are. The likes of Dublin, Mayo and Cork are a bit more physical than the rest of us, but it was nip and tuck once we got to grips with it.

“They’ve very strong in the tackle and quite cute off-the-ball as well, but we’ll be well-tuned into that this time around.”

The Orchard county have been in fantastic form since the season started up again. They thrashed Tyrone in the Ulster Championship semi-final before gaining another comfortable victory over the Red Hands in their first group stage clash in the All-Ireland Championship.

Mallon commented: “We hadn’t started our Division Two campaign particularly well and suffered a heavy defeat to Meath in our last game, but we came back really strong after the lockdown.

“We’d only a few weeks’ training behind us but I think the girls had that bit of bite and were maybe a bit more motivated than in the past.

“Tyrone had the same amount of training as we had but we just seemed to dominate both games. In the Ulster semi-final they couldn’t really get their kick-outs going in the first 15 minutes which allowed us to build a platform. They started a lot better the last day out but we were still able to get the better of them.”

A word of mention as well to Armagh’s Aoife McCoy, who bagged a hat-trick in their group stage victory over Tyrone. Mallon says they were determined to get her involved at the cutting edge of things.

She’s very effective, she’s such a strong runner and carries the ball so well, I think in the first game it was maybe our own fault for not using her properly.

“She was making lovely runs off the shoulder and I think we didn’t take advantage. We did speak about trying to bring her into the game more because of how fast and effective she is and it worked out well.”

It’s already been a season to remember for Mallon as she won the Armagh Senior Club Championship title with Armagh Harps, ending a 22-year famine. She actually plays camogie for her native club Madden but she explains that they don’t have a ladies team.

“It was unbelievable, one of the best days I’ve ever had to be honest, it was a long time coming. I’ve only been playing for the Harps for seven years but it’s my adopted club as they say. Madden don’t have a ladies team so I had to come into the Harps.”

Mallon was vice-captain last year, but she’s taken on the main role now that Caoimhe Morgan has retired. She’s part of a formidable full-forward line alongside Caroline O’Hanlon and Aimee Mackin, and they stand on the cusp of their first All-Ireland semi-final appearance since 2015. They’re also one step away from making amends for their Ulster Championship final defeats of the past two years, but they must wait for Cavan and Monaghan to play their postponed semi-final.

“We’ve love to go one step further in Ulster and I have to say Monaghan looked very good against Tipperary. They still have to play Cavan so we’re waiting to see how that one pans out.”