Sports
Armagh 3-33 Down 0-14: Record-breaking Orchardmen surge into Ulster final as Down drop into Tailteann Cup
Going into Sunday’s game at Clones, Down faced the challenge of emulating the emotion and intensity that carried them to a stirring win over holders Donegal in Letterkenny.
And for the first 10 minutes, they seemed to have unlocked the formula once more, with an early marker laid down by Daniel Guinness and Odhran Murdock, two of the outstanding performers from the Donegal game.
After Murdock rose highest to win the throw-in, Guinness scampered clear and split the posts.
A Pat Havern free, Guinness’ second score, Shane Annett’s effort and a superb point from influential Mourne skipper Murdock – which he scored after launching his side’s attack with a turnover at the other end – had Down 0-5 to 0-2 in front.
Armagh, in contrast, struggled to find their range during the opening exchanges. While their first two scores came from Oisin Conaty and Conor Turbitt, they were guilty of three bad wides during Down’s ascendancy.
But after a score from the excellent Jarly Og Burns was followed by Andrew Murnin kicking the Orchard’s fourth wide, Armagh decided enough was enough, and after captain Aaron McKay showed exceptional grit to win a breaking ball and send his side down the field, Tomas McCormack sidestepped Peter Fegan and beat Ronan Burns with a low drive into the net.
While Og Burns and Guinness traded scores after the goal, Armagh stormed clear with an unanswered 1-8.
Their second goal will be a painful part of the Down post-mortem as Darragh McMullen won a kick-out from Blaine Hughes – who replaced Ethan Rafferty before throw-in – rounded the stranded Mourne keeper Burns and pumped the ball in for Turbitt, who shrugged off Ryan McEvoy to palm into the unguarded net.
While Havern knocked over the final score of the half, Down looked a spent force by the interval, with Armagh’s tally of six fisted points evidence of the ease with which they had cut into the Mourne defence.
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It is a result that could be the catalyst Chelsea needed to push on and put pressure on Manchester City, who face Arsenal next in the WSL (Sunday, 16:30 BST).
Chelsea’s match-winner Alyssa Thompson said their victory over the Gunners was “amazing for team morale”.
Even Bompastor admitted Chelsea are “a different team from last season” and there are tangible examples of their improvements.
England midfielder Keira Walsh was a standout performer against Arsenal and it was her strike which was parried into the path of Thompson for the only goal.
Her new parternship with 20-year-old Lexi Potter is flourishing and has allowed Walsh to get further up the pitch and play with more freedom.
Bompastor said the 29-year-old was “a boss on the pitch” when she reaches those levels and it helps the team have “better foundations”.
Goalscorer Thompson has consistently delivered up front, while the arrival of summer signing Melvine Malard from Manchester United has given them an outlet.
The French striker missed their opening two matches with a minor injury but scored on her debut against Birmingham City and caused havoc against Arsenal.
“She’s massive for us. She puts in work off the ball and sets off the press,” said team-mate Walsh.
“Her awareness of people around her and her ability… She’s an incredible striker and she will be very good for us.”
That press, led by Malard, has moved higher up and teams have struggled to break through, while full-back Ellie Carpenter continues to overlap dangerously.
Katie McCabe, who switched from Arsenal to Chelsea this summer, has brought leadership and bite – an aggression that was lacking at times last season.
Most of all, the Blues look like a team who believe they should be champions and are willing to work for it.
It was in contrast to toothless Arsenal, who have one victory in their first four WSL games and scored just twice.
“We’ve got both sides to our game and we showed that tonight in spells. Everyone was fighting for each other. Every first and second ball was ours,” added Walsh.
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