McCONVILLE CENTRAL TO ARMAGH GLORY
Richard Bullick
This time last year, Armagh were about to embark upon an overdue return to the National League’s top flight after a six-season absence with a mix of excitement and trepidation about the prospect of facing all of the country’s top teams one after the other.
It was to prove a fantastically successful campaign, with six consecutive victories securing Armagh’s place in their first NFL final, and the Orchard crew came from behind in Croke Park to dethrone holders Kerry with a superb performance.
Player of the Match Lauren McConville went on to pick up both All Ireland Player of the Month accolades for April and was one of a magnificent seven orangewomen honoured with inclusion in the Team of Division One ceremonial line-up at the NFL Awards.
Under their new manager Greg McGonigle, Armagh were worthy winners of that historic National League title but, looking back, Crossmaglen’s McConville admits the initial target was simply perpetuating that hard-earned first division status.
“Getting back up to Division One had been a big goal for a number of years so securing promotion the year before by beating Laois was a real relief and we knew having tough games every week would be beneficial for us a team,” reflects Lauren.
“But I suppose we were a little bit apprehensive too, for we were under no illusions about the challenge ahead. Division One football was a new experience for many of our players. We knew it would be a big step up and just really wanted to give it a good go.
“We just started out wanting to put in good performances and get points each week to ensure we stayed up. Thankfully the early victories came, we took confidence from that and got a bit of momentum behind us.”
With two of the eight teams to be relegated, getting points on the board was vital and the opening game against Waterford wasn’t the most daunting first fixture on paper, though the atrocious conditions made for a war of attrition in familiar surroundings for McConville.
“The weather was awful for our opening game last January, but it was nice to kick off the campaign in Cross. I love playing on our club pitch so it was an honour getting a run out there – a first for me in the Armagh jersey – and coming away with a very valuable victory.
“The next week we got an away win against Cork, which we’d never done before, and then we beat Galway in the Athletic Grounds. We improved a lot over the course of the league and got over the line in some really tight games which was important for us.”
With three wins out of three under their belts, Armagh produced a superb performance to beat recent All Ireland champions Meath – now managed by the previous season’s Orchard supremo Shane McCormack – by double digits in their own Ashbourne backyard.
No longer content with just achieving their basic objective of avoiding the drop, Armagh kept pushing on and the league leaders edged title holders Kerry in a pulsating game in Ireland’s ecclesiastical capital between the only two remaining unbeaten teams in Division One.
McGonigle’s side showed character again in digging deep to come away with the victory over Mayo in Ballina on St Patrick’s Day which clinched their place in the decider with a round of regular league games to spare.
That enabled the Armagh manager to field a largely second-string side in their final fixture against Dublin, with McConville one of very few regulars starting as a number of fringe figures got their first taste of competitive action in an orange jersey at adult level.
Although they all made their Orchard debuts back in the middle of last decade and have been stalwarts since, Armagh luminaries McConville, Aoife McCoy, Clodagh McCambridge and the Mackin sisters had to wait until 2022 to grace Croke Park.
Kerry pooped that party by snatching victory in the Division Two final but Armagh got the job done against Laois 12 months later and ended up facing the Kingdom women again, this time in last April’s first division showpiece.
Rather than being rocked by giving away a goal shortly after the interval, Armagh responded superbly and produced a real purple patch which paved the way for McCambridge lifting the trophy after the immense McConville received the Player of the Match award.
“I waited a long time in my career to get to play in Croke Park, so I’ve really appreciated each of these opportunities. Playing there for the first time, winning the next time and then being part of an historic success for Armagh when we lifted the National League title.
“The experience itself is brilliant but as a competitive person you want to be playing in the biggest games and winning them. Picking up Player of the Match and the other awards afterwards was nice icing on the cake.
“But it genuinely is just testament to the great performances we had as a team over the course of the National League. Everything really came together at the right time and I think that Croke Park performance was one of our best of the year.
“I was delighted that we were well represented in the Team of the League,” reflects Lauren, who was joined in that ceremonial line-up by captain McCambridge, McCoy, markswoman Mackin, previous skipper Kelly Mallon, the iconic Caroline O’Hanlon and Grace Ferguson.
While evergreen veterans O’Hanlon and Mallon made their experience count, Armagh had several fresh faces who established themselves in the first phase of last season including newcomer Roisin Mulligan and Dearbhla Coleman in McConville’s section of the team.
“It was great to see girls stepping up. Roisin slotted really well into the backline and made her mark from the get-go. Same with Dearhbla, she had a great league campaign,” says Lauren, who along with McCambridge formed a superb spine in the Orchard defence.
McConville’s verdict on the championship period of last season can be found on the facing page, but now we’re rapidly approaching the start of Armagh’s National League title defence with a tough trip to face All Ireland champions Kerry in Tralee on Saturday week live on TG4.
These teams met three times last term, including in that NFL showpiece, with Kerry getting a revenge victory in July’s All Ireland semi-final, so it’s a blockbuster first fixture for the Orchard outfit under new joint managers Joe Feeney and Darnell Parkinson.
This time the orangewomen won’t be coming in under the radar and, although last season’s success showed Armagh have the pedigree, they will have to go out and fight hard for the precious points on offer every week like everyone else.
“I’m really looking forward to the season ahead. It feels like it has come around so quick. We will definitely take confidence from last season’s success but we know that it will be tough,” cautions McConville.
She’d gone home empty-handed from the Dublin banquet the previous three years running so it was ironic that when Lauren McConville finally became an All Star, she was watching on her phone in a far-flung location.
Shortlisted for the fourth consecutive season, the Crossmaglen woman was absent this time thanks to taking a well-earned holiday on her way home from playing for Queensland side Gold Coast Suns in the AFLW.
“I was on an island in the Philippines at the time, waiting to get on the boat first thing on a Sunday morning when I was tuned in to the awards ceremony. I just about found out the news before I lost my WiFi signal!” she reveals.
As one of three nominees for All Ireland Players’ Player of the Year, McConville looked a good bet this time to acquire the All Star status she has richly deserved for a while now but it was to prove a memorable night for the Orchard county with a trio of first-time recipients.
Ballyhegan’s Grace Ferguson had got the nod at corner back just before McConville was unveiled and her win was followed five minutes later by recognition for Lauren’s great footballing buddy Aoife McCoy at centre half forward.
It seemed fitting for these two wonderful servants of Armagh football, who had made their Orchard debuts together in the opening game of 2014, to be honoured the same evening even if they were so far apart physically.
“Although we weren’t there together on the night, getting the All Star alongside Aoife was so special. We came through underage together and have shared so much over many years. I was also delighted for Grace. She is such a talent and had a great season,” says Lauren.
“I was really blown away by the Players’ Player of the Year nomination. The shortlist is based on the votes of your fellow players from all the other Senior Championship counties and that recognition from your peers means an awful lot.
“Getting the All Star was also amazing, such an honour. I’d been shortlisted several times and some suggested I’d a good chance especially after the year we’d had, but you still can’t quite believe it and it was quite surreal watching from far away!”
Proud mum Michelle did the honours on her behalf at Dublin’s Bonnington Hotel, just as she’d collected Lauren’s Ulster Ladies Footballer of the Year trophy and fourth consecutive provincial All Star at the Irish News Awards in Belfast earlier a few weeks earlier.
Those prestigious gongs in the autumn added to McConville’s NFL final Player of the Match award, inclusion in the ceremonial Team of Division One and receipt of both the GPA and LGFA’s separate Player of the Month Awards for April.
Although grateful for the recognition, she’d naturally have swapped the lot for an All Ireland medal but, having regained the provincial crown from Donegal, topped their group and defeated Mayo at the last eight stage, Armagh were beaten by Kerry in the semi-final.
A hot afternoon in May brought the Orchard outfit’s fourth Ulster Senior Championship success in five seasons courtesy of a revenge victory over holders Donegal, though favourites Armagh just got over the line after extra-time in an epic encounter on a hot day.
“It was great to get the win over Donegal in Clones in the Ulster final. We’ve had some really tight games with them over the last few years and this one was no exception. It was a tough game in fierce heat so we were delighted to come out the right side of the result.”
After overcoming Meath in their opening game, salvaging a draw away to outsiders Tipperary in Semple Stadium was enough for Armagh to top their group and they made home advantage count in the quarter-final against Mayo at the Athletic Grounds.
That set up another showdown with Kerry but this time Armagh – missing cruciate victim Aimee Mackin, with Kelly Mallon not fit to start and Caroline O’Hanlon curtailed by a torn calf muscle – came up short in Tullamore after being on top in the opening period.
Captain Clodagh McCambridge – Armagh’s magnificent full back – was off the field getting a head wound attended to when the Kingdom grabbed the game’s only goal and there was also frustration at the opposition’s cynical targeting of McConville, who got little protection.
“We were probably a bit inconsistent during the All Ireland series, which wasn’t helped by injury. We had a decent All Ireland campaign, but I can’t help but be disappointed that we weren’t able to get over the line against Kerry,” admits a rueful Lauren.
The sense of what might have been was heightened a week later when Armagh’s men were crowned All Ireland champions, though there was a special connection to that triumph for McConville, who had three family members in Kieran McGeeney’s victorious squad.
Like herself, cousin Rian O’Neill ended the year with an All Star, his sibling Oisin was an influential figure for Armagh off the bench and own younger brother Cian McConville may not have featured in the All Ireland final itself but was part of a very strong panel.
“Watching the men get the All Ireland win was amazing. It was special to see my brother and two cousins lift the Sam Maguire. I had a few conversations with some of the girls that week just saying we hope that will be us in the near future.
“So seeing the Armagh men do it has definitely been motivational for us and should help us keep believing,” reasons McConville, who was about to embark upon an Aussie adventure in August having signed for AFLW franchise Gold Coast Suns as a late injury replacement.
McConville had dabbled in Aussie Rules while living and working Down Under for some 18 months before the Covid-19 pandemic came along, even claiming the Player of the Year award while helping South Warrnambool Roosters win their league in Victoria!
Given that bit of oval ball background, her exceptional prowess in gaelic football and impeccable personal qualities, McConville appeared a good fit for the AFLW but she got less game-time than perhaps hoped and Suns struggled during a disappointing campaign.
It had already been announced that McConville wouldn’t be returning for a second season when confirmation came that the head coach Cameron Joyce had been fired with two years left on his contract, but she has no regrets about taking up the opportunity.
“Australia was a great experience. I’m delighted I got the opportunity to play AFLW. It was class being part of such a professional environment and being able to dedicate so much time to your training, recovery and performance in general I suppose.
“Because everything happened so fast, I didn’t really know what I was expecting. But the environment, facilities and resources exceeded my expectations. It was great being back in Australia in general. I love the lifestyle there and the weather is a huge bonus.”
Four of the 10 Ulsterwomen contracted to teams in the AFLW last season were at Suns including Donegal captain Niamh McLaughlin, the 2022 All Ireland Player of the Year – a formidable opponent previously who was now a team-mate of McConville’s!
“Niamh is a top player, so I was delighted to play alongside her rather than run after her for a change! It was great getting to know her off the pitch too and she really helped me settle in at the Gold Coast.
“There’s definitely plenty that I have learned that I will bring back to football here,” muses McConville, who also brings great experience and to this Armagh set-up and is embracing elder stateswoman status now that she has turned 30 over the Christmas holidays.
“The years fly by and I’m one of the older ones now but am happy to use my experience where I can within the team and it’s great to see young players pushing through,” enthuses Lauren, who reached her century of Orchard appearances last season.
“That isn’t something I was ever tracking or thinking much about myself, but it’s certainly a milestone. It’s an honour representing Armagh and I love pulling on the orange jersey but we’re ambitious to be a successful county and that’s my main motivation now.
“Playing county football for more than a decade requires significant commitment and maintaining standards so reaching 100 appearances is something to be proud of, but these things will maybe mean even more further down the line and after retirement.”
There’s a lot more McConville wants to achieve before finally hanging up the boots and, having effectively taken over from O’Hanlon as Armagh’s taliswoman this past couple of seasons, she’s a real driving force for the Orchard county team from centre half back.
Originally a forward before making that inspired positional switch after returning from her first sabbatical in Australia, the former Queen’s University skipper and interpro title-winner with Ulster was crowned Armagh’s Player of the Year two seasons ago.
A dual player for her beloved Crossmaglen, she captained the club’s ladies footballers to their Intermediate title triumph in 2017 when aged just 22 and shone as their camogs reached last season’s All Ireland Junior B final.
An exemplary professional in an amateur sport, McConville is a wonderful footballer and fantastic competitor, a team woman with a tremendous work ethic and a champion person who is a real role model for young girls and great ambassador for her sport.
As someone who has reported on every one of her Armagh matches, this correspondent can testify that she’s not just a delight to watch on the field but always a pleasure to deal with off it in facilitating coverage, even though she isn’t one for self-glorification.
For example, particular circumstances this past week at my end meant she had to go the extra mile in relation to this feature by sending me all her quotes and also organising the back page photo of herself with the awards won this autumn while she was overseas.
