CAPTAIN CAROLINE O’HANLON scored 2-6 as Ulster champions Armagh hammered Laois by 23 points in Saturday’s TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship quarter-final in Tullamore.
O’Hanlon, fresh from her international netball exploits with Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, pulled the strings at O’Connor Park as the Orchard County booked their place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2006.
O’Hanlon was superb but this was an excellent team performance from Armagh, who announced themselves as serious All-Ireland contenders following last month’s Ulster championship win.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
James Daly’s Armagh had nine players on the scoresheet, including all six forwards and midfield pair O’Hanlon and Niamh Henderson.
Siobhan Feeney also came off the bench to kick two points and while Laois were simply outclassed, Martina Dunne still managed to contribute 0-6.
At half-time, this game was over as a contest, with wind-assisted Armagh 3-7 to 0-2 clear.
The quality of Armagh’s kick-passing to their inside forwards was sensational and O’Hanlon was at the heart of most of her side’s best work.
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O’Hanlon, 30, netted the opening goal of the game with just a minute and four seconds on the watch, taking a pass from Fionnuala McKenna before cracking home a sensational effort.
Laois manager Des Cooney. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Laois didn’t score until the 18th minute, when Dunne kicked a fine points from play, but they were eight points behind at that stage.
And the Laois misery continued when Mags McAlinden scored the first of her two goals in the 20th minute.
Two minutes later, Lauren McConville registered Armagh’s third goal and the winners were content to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the second half.
Armagh’s fourth goal arrived in the 43rd minute, when O’Hanlon played a one-two with Kelly Mallon before finishing well.
Laois goalkeeper Ciamh Dollard pounces on Kelly Mallon's shot. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
And Armagh’s fifth and final goal summed up a miserable day for Laois as the ball rebounded off McAlinden and trickled over the line, after goalkeeper Ciamh Dollard had pulled off a good save to deny the corner forward at the first attempt.
The scoreline could have been much worse from a Laois perspective but Dollard pulled off a couple of fine saves.
And Armagh suffered a late injury blow when impressive corner back Mairead Tennyson went off injured, leaving the Ulster side to play out the final couple of minutes with 14 players.
Laois had bounced back from their Leinster final mauling against Dublin with an encouraging qualifier win over last year’s TG4 All-Ireland intermediate champions Cavan.
But despite battling performances from Dollard, Clodagh Dunne, Meagan Dunne and Martina Dunne, this was a day to forget for Laois.
Scorers for Armagh: C O’Hanlon 2-6 (0-3f); M McAlinden 2-0; L McConville 1-2; F McKenna (1f), K Mallon & S Feeney 0-2 each; N Henderson, S McCleary & A McCoy 0-1 each.
Scorers for Laois: Martina Dunne 0-6 (3f); Meagan Dunne, T Lawlor & M Kirwan 0-1 each.
ARMAGH: K Daly; M Tennyson, C Morgan, L Kenny; S Reel, N Marley, R O’Reilly; N Henderson, C O’Hanlon; S McCleary, F McKenna, A McCoy; L McConville, K Mallon, M McAlinden.
Subs: S Grey for Henderson (30), S Feeney for McConville (38), S Mackle for McKenna (42), E Lavey for Mallon (45), C Duffy for Reel (52).
LAOIS: C Dollard; C Dunne, G Dunne, M Young; M Murphy, F Dooley, Meagan Dunne; A Moore, T Lawlor; M Kirwan, Martina Dunne, E McVey; R Williams, L.M. Maher, J Dunne.
Subs: N Kirwan for Williams (36), R Phelan for Young (36), A Keogh for J Dunne (39), L Nurney for Dooley (51).
Caroline O'Hanlon steals the show with 2-6 as ruthless Armagh progress
Armagh 5-17
Laois 0-9
CAPTAIN CAROLINE O’HANLON scored 2-6 as Ulster champions Armagh hammered Laois by 23 points in Saturday’s TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship quarter-final in Tullamore.
O’Hanlon, fresh from her international netball exploits with Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games, pulled the strings at O’Connor Park as the Orchard County booked their place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2006.
O’Hanlon was superb but this was an excellent team performance from Armagh, who announced themselves as serious All-Ireland contenders following last month’s Ulster championship win.
James Daly’s Armagh had nine players on the scoresheet, including all six forwards and midfield pair O’Hanlon and Niamh Henderson.
Siobhan Feeney also came off the bench to kick two points and while Laois were simply outclassed, Martina Dunne still managed to contribute 0-6.
At half-time, this game was over as a contest, with wind-assisted Armagh 3-7 to 0-2 clear.
O’Hanlon, 30, netted the opening goal of the game with just a minute and four seconds on the watch, taking a pass from Fionnuala McKenna before cracking home a sensational effort.
And the Laois misery continued when Mags McAlinden scored the first of her two goals in the 20th minute.
Two minutes later, Lauren McConville registered Armagh’s third goal and the winners were content to keep the scoreboard ticking over in the second half.
Armagh’s fourth goal arrived in the 43rd minute, when O’Hanlon played a one-two with Kelly Mallon before finishing well.
And Armagh’s fifth and final goal summed up a miserable day for Laois as the ball rebounded off McAlinden and trickled over the line, after goalkeeper Ciamh Dollard had pulled off a good save to deny the corner forward at the first attempt.
And Armagh suffered a late injury blow when impressive corner back Mairead Tennyson went off injured, leaving the Ulster side to play out the final couple of minutes with 14 players.
Laois had bounced back from their Leinster final mauling against Dublin with an encouraging qualifier win over last year’s TG4 All-Ireland intermediate champions Cavan.
But despite battling performances from Dollard, Clodagh Dunne, Meagan Dunne and Martina Dunne, this was a day to forget for Laois.
ARMAGH: K Daly; M Tennyson, C Morgan, L Kenny; S Reel, N Marley, R O’Reilly; N Henderson, C O’Hanlon; S McCleary, F McKenna, A McCoy; L McConville, K Mallon, M McAlinden.
Subs: S Grey for Henderson (30), S Feeney for McConville (38), S Mackle for McKenna (42), E Lavey for Mallon (45), C Duffy for Reel (52).
LAOIS: C Dollard; C Dunne, G Dunne, M Young; M Murphy, F Dooley, Meagan Dunne; A Moore, T Lawlor; M Kirwan, Martina Dunne, E McVey; R Williams, L.M. Maher, J Dunne.
Subs: N Kirwan for Williams (36), R Phelan for Young (36), A Keogh for J Dunne (39), L Nurney for Dooley (51).
Referee: G Chapman (Sligo)
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All-Ireland Senior HC World Cup 2014 GAA statement Armagh Laois TG4 Ladies All Ireland Football Championship