Aoife McCoy lifts lid on how Armagh men's All-Ireland victory is inspiring Ladies' own glory bid

When it comes to searching for inspiration in their pursuit of TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship glory, Aoife McCoy and the Armagh Ladies footballers have the ideal guiding forces.
Back on July 28, 2024, the Armagh men's team edged out Galway to claim the second All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title in their history – and the first since a breakthrough success in 2002.

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BBC News

3 hours ago

• BBC News

'The boys winning the All-Ireland has pushed us on'

Armagh forward Aoife McCoy says the men's side winning the All-Ireland Championship last year has "pushed" her side on to replicate their ladies' side watched on as the Orchard County edged Galway to claim a second men's All-Ireland title at Croke Park last McCambridge and Connaire Mackin played key roles in that triumph and their siblings Clodagh and Meabh McCambridge and Blaithin Mackin are in the ladies' a result, McCoy believes her side have plenty of motivation to go all the way in the Brendan Martin Cup after falling at the semi-final stage last year."I think plenty of people have said it. The boys winning the All-Ireland last year, not really realising it, but it has maybe been a good push for us as well," said McCoy."It has just brought a lot of happiness to the county. I think for us, it probably has pushed us on."We have a lot of girls that have siblings that are involved in that panel and we're definitely trying to emulate that success."Armagh continue their quest for glory in the Ladies All-Ireland Championship on Saturday as they face Kildare in their second group game. They drew with Meath in their opening game, but the Orchard County know a win against Kildare at the Athletic Grounds will help them book their place in the last eight of the competition."We're going out to get a win first of all. A win will basically secure us a spot in the quarter-final and then after that, obviously we'd love to finish first in the group," McCoy added."To get that home quarter-final, that would be great. We'll be focusing really on a win first and then just take it from there."They [Kildare] have obviously come into Division One this year and they've maintained their status there. In 2023 they won the intermediate, so they're a very good side."

Belfast Telegraph

3 hours ago

• Belfast Telegraph

Stephen O'Neill reveals a positive update for Cavan ahead of Kerry duel

The former Red Hands forward is coach with the Breffni side under manager Raymond Galligan who rendered tremendous service between the posts to the county before calling time on his career two years ago. Right now, O'Neill is strongly focused on Saturday's All-Ireland Championship Preliminary Quarter-Final against Kerry at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney (3.30pm) where he is hoping the Breffni Blues side can make life difficult for the Kingdom. Some Cavan players may have called time on their playing careers but there is an experienced core remaining which would suggest that Kerry will not quite have things their own way. While Cavan were forced to have patience as a handful of players returned to action from injury, the indications now are that the team is ready for battle — something that pleases the affable O'Neill in particular. 'There are always going to be injuries and players unavailable for one reason or another but obviously you like to have your best squad on duty for the matches that really matter,' points out O'Neill, 'I know we might have found things difficult in the League from time to time but you have to go with the resources at your disposal.' In this respect, Cavan can summon a shoal of hardened campaigners in Gearoid McKiernan, Dara McVeety, James Smith and Cian Madden. They were without gifted forward Pauric Lynch for much of last year while Cormac O'Reilly and Sean McEvoy are other players who have been coming through strongly. It was in 2003, 2005 and 2008 when O'Neill scaled the heights with an all-conquering Tyrone team in winning three All-Ireland honours before turning his attention to coaching and management. But he refused to accept his 2008 All-Ireland medal because he felt he had not been sufficiently involved with the team. He had stepped away earlier that year but returned shortly before the All-Ireland Final against Kerry. He was introduced as a substitute in that game which Tyrone won by 1-15 to 0-14. Right now, though, O'Neill, who has pocketed four All-Ireland Masters medals, is fired up for Cavan's joust with Jack O'Connor's men who are still smarting from their 1-22 to -16 defeat at the hands of Meath in their All-Ireland Group Two round three tie last week-end. Kerry's meeting with Cavan will be a first for them in a Preliminary Quarter-final and this could well add spice to the contest. 'Our defeat to Meath last week-end could be said to have been a chastening experience and we have to try and come good now against Cavan,' points out O'Connor. 'We are now at the cutting edge of the All-Ireland Championship and every match is vital. You cannot afford to lose ground at this juncture and that's why I feel both teams will be giving it everything on Saturday.' Elsewhere on Saturday Dublin host Cork (6.15pm) in the second part of the double helping at Croke Park after the home side's hurlers clash with Limerick in the All-Ireland SHC Quarter-Final (4.00pm). The second last eight encounter in that competition sees Dublin up against Tipperary (6.15pm). Dessie Farrell's Dublin will be hot favourites to advance against Cork but Leinster champions Louth may find the going a little tougher against Donegal in Ballybofey tomorrow (4.00pm).

Belfast Telegraph

3 hours ago

• Belfast Telegraph

Tyrone eager to take down Roscommon and book slot in All-Ireland Minor Final

In winning the Ulster title, the Red Hands played with composure and determination, and it's no surprise to see the side now eyeing a bigger target. In reaching the last-four of the All-Ireland series, Tyrone have shown impressive scoring power, with players such as Cathal Farley, James Mulgrew, Joel Kerr and Peter Colton hitting the high spots. Kerr may be on his way to West Ham United but he certainly appears to have an All-Ireland medal in his sights as Tyrone will bring a fierce hunger to the table, with manager Gerard Donnelly keen to evoke the best possible performance from his side. For their part, Roscommon may have found the going difficult to date – they only managed to beat Louth by a point in their Quarter-Final after extra-time (1-19 to 2-15) – and may find themselves pushed to the limit by the Red Hands on Sunday. Yet in Dara Curran, Luke Shally, Sam Hannon, Dean Casey and Diarmuid Higgins, the Connacht side boast an array of talent that can live with the best of them at their grade. In Sunday's other All-Ireland Minor Semi-Final, Kerry and Mayo cross swords at Cusack Park, Ennis (3.30pm). The Kingdom were stretched to the limit by Cavan at the Quarter-Final stage before winning by 0-14 to 1-09, with Ben Kelleher, Danny Murphy, Kevin Griffen, Gearoid White and Liam O'Brien in particular putting their shoulder to the wheel. Mayo, for their part, just managed to get the better of Offaly in their Quarter-Final (3-13 to 4-07), with Conor Hession, Ruairi Woods, Tony Furey, Dylan Dunne and Dara Flanagan very much to the fore. The fact that they were stretched to the limit, though, might serve Mayo well against the Kingdom on Sunday when the heat is on as it assuredly will be.