However, it was all downhill from there for the Ulster side in the first half. Kerry’s Siofra O’Shea and Armagh’s Niamh Henderson traded scores.
Then, Kerry cut right through the middle of the Armagh defence, and Emma Dineen slipped in Ni Chonchuir, who fired into the back of Anna Carr’s net.
That gave Kerry a huge lift, and with a strong breeze at their backs they picked off five scores in succession throughout the remainder of the first half via Danielle O’Leary, Ni Mhuircheartaigh (free), Niamh Carmody (two) and O’Connell.
It took 10 minutes before the first score of the second half, which Niamh Coleman claimed – scoring Armagh’s first point of the game since the 13th minute in the process, and it was a one-score game when Mackin converted a free.
A Danielle O’Leary free then put Kerry four ahead with time running out, and Armagh’s chances of pulling the game back took a huge blow when Mackin was sent into the sin bin for a high tackle foul on Lorraine Scanlon – with nine minutes to go, they had to finish with 14 players.
There was to be no comeback and Kerry held on for a relatively comfortable four-point win at full-time.
