ORCHARD WOMEN CHASING SUCCESS

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.

- By DAIRE WALSH

On July 28 last year, the Armagh men’s team claimed the second All-Ireland title in their history - and the first since 2002.

Defensive duo Barry McCambridge and Connaire Mackin played crucial roles in getting the Orchard over the line.

Eight days earlier, McCambridge's sisters Clodagh and Meabh featured alongside Mackin’s sibling Blaithin (his other sister Aimee was missing through injury) as Armagh lost out to Kerry at the penultimate stage of the LGFA's top-tier Championship in Tullamore.

The aforementioned McCoy lined out at centre-half forward and as Armagh aim to go a couple of steps further in this year's Brendan Martin Cup, she acknowledges the achievements of their male counterparts could help to spur them on.