1. Early season bragging rights for Kerry
A win over All-Ireland champions Dublin at Parnell Park was an ideal way for Kerry to open their Division 1 league title defence.
The Kingdom finished up 1-8 to 0-6 winners in the ‘Battle of the Champions’ and repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final.
This was far from a classic, but Declan Quill, Darragh Long and co. won’t mind. The result is all that matters.
Although it won’t make amends for last year’s championship final defeat, it’s a boost moving forward — and of course, bragging rights. They took those against the Dubs in both the league and group stages of the championship in 2023, but fell short on the biggest day. Ensuring that doesn’t happen again is key, as they push for the Brendan Martin Cup.
Emma Dineen top-scored in a new-look side with 1-3, while captain Niamh Carmody was outstanding. She hit 0-2 in an all-action display, with Jadyn Lucey kicking the same tally.
The message from their camp is they’ll take each league game as it comes, just like last year when they reigned supreme in their first season back up from Division 2.
2. Disappointing start for Dublin
With two teams going down to Division 2 this year in a change to the format, the pressure is on everyone immediately.
Mick Bohan’s post-match thoughts said it all.
“We’re very clear on the fact we’re being chased this year. We’ve been brought right back down to earth in our first national league game in front of our home crowd,” the manager told reporters.
“We knew they had a lot more work done than us coming into this game and you could see it. We just didn’t have it in the legs. We’ve only three weeks done on the pitch, but we’re disappointed. Particularly with the first half.”
Dublin scored just one point in the opening period. Yes, there was a lot of experimentation and new players in, but basic mistakes continuously let them down.
Their shooting, and shot selection, was poor, with star forward Hannah Tyrrell a huge miss in particular.
Not the result we would have liked from our opening game of the 2024 @lidl_ireland NFL but on a positive note great to witness seven players make their senior inter county football debut vs Kerry in Parnell Park last night - congrats girls 🙌🏻
— DublinLGFA (@dublinladiesg) January 21, 2024
A memorable night for the players,… pic.twitter.com/LUn2iH2WBb
It wasn’t all bad, though. Olwen Carey looked like she had never been away on her return from a two-year inter-county hiatus, while seven players made their senior debuts.
They face Meath in Navan next.
3. Cork beat Galway in difficult weather conditions
While Kerry and Dublin renewed their rivalry before Storm Isha hit, Cork and Galway went head-to-head in the thick of it at Bishopstown.
Katie Quirke was “outstanding,” as Shane Ronayne said, scoring Cork’s entire total in the 1-6 to 0-5 win. Her points tally was split evenly between frees and open play, and her 38th-minute goal was ultimately decisive.
The hosts, playing with a strong wind, went in 0-6 to 0-1 up at the break.
Galway dug deep in worsening conditions to claw themselves back into the contest in the second half, but they started life under new manager Daniel Moynihan on a losing note.
Roisin Leonard was their top scorer with 0-2 from the bench, and like Cork, the 2023 league finalists fielded an experimental team.
The Tribe were without their Kilkerrin-Clonberne contingent and other big names, while Doireann O’Sullivan, Ciara O’Sullivan, Róisín Phelan, Meabh O’Sullivan, Eimear Meaney, Laura Fitzgerald and Bríd O’Sullivan are currently unavailable for the Rebels.
4. Big win for Meath on the road
Meath and Mayo were sheltered from the storm with their clash moved from Ballina to the University of Galway GAA Air Dome in Bekan.
Unsurprisingly, this was by far the highest scoring game of the weekend as Meath ran out 2-18 to 1-15 winners.
It was a winning start for Shane McCormack at the helm, with Meadbh Byrne scoring two first-half goals and Emma Duggan kicking an impressive 0-10 (5f). Áine Sheridan and Aoibhin Cleary were among other players to catch the eye for the 2021 and 2022 All-Ireland champions, who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing ’23.
Mayo produced a decent first competitive performance under new manager Liam McHale, but there’s plenty to work on going forward.
“We want to play the way we practice and we definitely did that, but we made too many mistakes against a quality team,” the renowned GAA coach said afterwards.
Maria Cannon was a bright spark, finishing with 1-10 (10f). There’s even more on the line for their trip to neighbours Galway next weekend now, with both sides looking to get off the mark.
5. Successful top-flight return for Armagh
Both Armagh and Waterford would have been targetting this one. The hosts enjoyed a 2-8 to 2-3 victory in Crossmaglen in their first season back in Division 1 since 2016 and their opening game under new manager Gregory McGonigle.
It was a significant day for the evergreen Caroline O’Hanlon too, as the dual star doctor kickstarted her 23rd consecutive inter-county season.
There were goals galore in a first half that ended 2-6 to 2-0, with Aimee Mackin and Aoife McCoy bagging a quickfire brace for Armagh and Lauren McGregor popping up with the Déise double.
In the eye of the storm, conditions worsened in the second half, with the final scoreline 2-8 to 2-3.
Armagh travel to Cork next, while Waterford face Kerry in a real challenge to get points on the board.
Mackin firing on all cylinders was a huge boost for Armagh, with Tipperary’s Aishling Moloney among the other AFLW stars in action over the weekend.
Lidl Ladies National Football League Results
Division 1 Round 1
- Kerry 1-8 Dublin 0-6
- Cork 1-6 Galway 0-5
- Meath 2-18 Mayo 1-15
- Armagh 2-8 Waterford 2-3
Division 2 Round 1
- Tyrone 2-9 Westmeath 1-7
- Tipperary 1-4 Cavan 0-2
- Kildare 1-6 Monaghan 0-5
- Donegal 0-7 Laois 0-3
Division 3 Round 1
- Roscommon 0-11 Down 0-4
- Clare 1-7 Wexford 0-1
- Louth 1-10 Antrim 1-6
- Offaly 1-8 Sligo 1-8
Division 4 Round 2
- Limerick 1-8 Derry 0-4
- Leitrim 4-6 Wicklow 0-15
- Carlow 2-10 Fermanagh 2-10
- Longford 4-9 Kilkenny 2-1.
