Armagh claimed a third consecutive Ulster title after edging a dramatic 2-13 to 1-15 victory over Tyrone in Owenbeg.
Greg McGonigle’s side edged out a narrow one-point victory to be crowned Ulster champions, overcoming a Tyrone team who reached their first provincial final in 13 years.
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The Red Hands made the brighter start, with Aoife Horisk opening the scoring from a free to get Tyrone up and running early in a lively opening spell under the sun, before Chloe McCaffrey added a point a minute later to push them further ahead.
Armagh responded quickly, moving ahead after five minutes with successive frees from Christina O’Reilly and a duo of scores from Aimee Mackin, before Aoife McCoy struck clinically to raise the game’s first green flag from a pacey counterattack.
Tyrone produced an immediate response as Slaine McCarroll carved through the Orchard County defence and smashed home to reduce the deficit back to a single point.
Following the goal, the Red Hands enjoyed a period of five unanswered points, with Sorcha Gormley and Meabh Mallon opening their accounts, while further scores from Horisk and McCarroll kept the scoreboard ticking.
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The sides traded scores in a tight and intense spell approaching the break, with Niamh O’Neill and Aoife McCoy both converting frees, while Aimee Mackin landed an impressive two-point effort — the first of the game.
Mackin also edged Armagh into a one-point lead at the interval, converting a close-range free just before the hooter sounded.
Tyrone made a strong start to the second half, with Chloe McCaffrey and Sorcha Gormley combining to level the scores, but neither side registered a score for the next 10 minutes before substitute Kelly Mallon swung Armagh back into control with consecutive scores.
Greg McGonigle made a series of changes early in the half, with Cassie Henderson and Blaithin Mackin introduced alongside Kelly Mallon as Armagh looked to push on.
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With 10 minutes remaining, the Orchard County seized control, moving clear as Caoimhe McNally fired home Armagh’s second goal, with Aoife McCoy adding a fisted point to extend the gap to five points.
In the closing stages, Armagh managed possession expertly to see out the game, although Tyrone produced one last push.
Horisk and McCaffrey converted frees to reduce the deficit to a single point with less than a minute remaining, but Sorcha Gormley’s late effort drifted narrowly wide as Armagh held on for a hard-earned victory and another Ulster crown.
Armagh: Brianna Mathers; Maeve Ferguson, Clodagh McCambridge, Cait Towe; Emily Druse (0-1), Lauren McConville, Grace Ferguson; Christina O’Reilly, Lara Marsden; Catherine Marley, Aoife McCoy (1-2), Caoimhe McNally (1-0); Aimee Mackin (0-7, 1tp, 4f), Caroline O’Hanlon (0-1, 1f), Alana Donnelly.
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Subs: Lara Marsden for Blaithin Mackin (40), Kelly Mallon (0-2) for Catherine Marley (46), Cassie Henderson for Christina O’Reilly (47), Maeve Lennon for Caoimhe McNally (59)
Tyrone: Laura Kane; Jayne Hearty, Grainne McKenna, Eimear Quinn; Claire Canavan, Meabh Corrigan, Caitlin Campbell; Meabh Mallon (0-1), Aoibhinn McHugh; Slaine McCarroll (1-1), Chloe McCaffrey (0-3), Emer McCanny; Niamh O’Neill (0-5, 4f), Sorcha Gormley (0-2), Aoife Horisk (0-3, 2f).
Subs: Katie Rose Muldoon for Claire Canavan (58)
