ARMAGH CAPTAIN KELLY Mallon has been honoured with The Croke Park/LGFA Player of the Month award for May 2022.
The experienced forward has been in stunning form for the Orchard county recently, and lifted the Ulster senior championship crown following a pulsating extra-time win over Donegal last month.
Mallon, 32, registered 3-10 in her county’s two games en route to provincial glory — 1-8 of that tally coming in the decider. The Armagh Harps star’s last-gasp goal sealed the Ulster three in-a-row, after her nerveless free-kick in Clones originally forced extra time.
“Nerves of steel,” team-mate and vice-captain Aimee Mackin reflected with The42 a few days later. “It was class. I just watched it back, and it just gives me goosebumps every time.
🏆 @UlsterLadies Senior Football Final 🏐
— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) May 22, 2022
Last gasp free to keep a three in a row dream alive for Armagh.
🟠⚪️ @ArmaghLGFA 2-14
🟢🟡 @DonegalLGFA 2-14
Extra-time in Clones ⤵️@BBCSPORTNI ➡️ https://t.co/DUJ2jvalhk@BBCiPlayer ➡️ https://t.co/MsnB9TT9bd pic.twitter.com/M2dkZTSvVg
“It was unbelievable and for her to stand up and take control, it just shows the type of character she is. As our captain, that’s exactly what she is. .
“She’s a handful when she gets going, and of course she got the winning goal for us in the end. She took it just so natural, there was no pressure, you could just tell… I knew when it left her foot that it was going on in the net.
“She’s the woman you want when you’re down.”
Mallon’s return to full fitness and red-hot scoring form following injury struggles has been a real boost for Armagh.
She scored two points — one free, the other from play — as Ronan Murphy’s side opened their All-Ireland senior championship campaign yesterday with a 0-9 to 0-9 draw with reigning champions Meath.
While the Royals have now secured their passage from the group, Armagh will look to book a quarter-final spot when they face Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds next Saturday [throw-in 2pm].
Mallon was also nominated for the PwC / GPA Women’s Football Player of the Month for May, but Dublin ace Sinead Goldrick ultimately landed the prize.
