DOUBLE AWARD WIN FOR MACKIN SISTERS

DOUBLE AWARD WIN FOR MACKIN SISTERS

Richard Bullick

They secured a first-ever county title with Shane O’Neills at the end of last month and the celebrations have continued into October for Armagh’s magnificent Mackin sisters, with prestigious individual award wins both for Aimee and her younger sibling Blaithin.

Blaithin was crowned Ulster Ladies Footballer of the Year at the Irish News banquet in Belfast the Friday before last and Aimee announced as All Ireland LGFA Player of the Month a few days later.

Despite her exceptional career being interrupted by two cruciate ruptures, this is the fifth time that former All Ireland Player of the Year Aimee has been honoured with the national monthly award, which is now sponsored by the Croke Park Hotel.

A previous winner for the months of April 2015, March 2019, July 2021 and April 2023, Aimee Mackin’s past triumphs have been recognition for her sharp-shooting heroics in the orange jersey of Armagh at inter-county level.

This time though, the 29-year-old markswoman has received the accolade on the back of prolific feats for Shane O’Neills, especially her 1-12 in the Camlough club’s first-ever Armagh Senior Championship showpiece on the back of scoring a hat-trick in their semi-final.

Although inspirational skipper Louise Kenny picked up the Player of the Match award for the final, Aimee’s tally was a hugely significant factor in the historic success for Shanes and her haul could have been even greater but for a few wides.

The Irish News Ulster All Stars night – with both sisters included in the ceremonial provincial line-up and Blaithin collecting the top prize – came ahead of their club’s first Senior provincial campaign.

That began two weekends ago with its new format of three groups of three rather than straight knockout and, having travelled to tackle Knockbride of Cavan in their opening game, Shanes will now host Derry standard-bearers Steelstown in Camlough this Sunday (2pm).

Having won Ulster titles with Shanes both in the Junior grade and Intermediate tier as teenagers, the Mackins will be hoping to complete an astonishing hat-trick this autumn by being crowned provincial champions.

Shanes have their sights set on getting to the Ulster Club final, which is scheduled for November 8, the weekend before the national All Stars night, when both Mackin sisters are among half a dozen Armagh representatives shortlisted.

Along with Olivia Divilly from this season’s All Ireland champions Galway and Siofra O’Shea of beaten finalists Kerry, Aimee is one of the three nominees for TG4 Senior Players Player of the Year, the sport’s biggest gong which she previously won back in 2020.

However, you suspect few individual accolades could top the satisfaction from the recent club success in the minds of the Mackins, who are very much steeped in their local community and delighted to be back in the green shirts of Shanes this season.

A combination of injuries and AFLW commitments with Melbourne Demons have limited the involvement of the top pair in club football over recent years but they really returned with a bang this season as the spearheads for a revitalised Shanes.

Success at club level came on the back of a good inter-county campaign for Armagh which saw the Orchard women maintain their top flight status in the National League before winning the Ulster title for the sixth time in seven seasons this decade.

Greg McGonigle’s team topped their All Ireland group, helped by an Aimee Mackin hat-trick of goals in the away win against Cork, and came through the home quarter-final that earned them before bowing out to eventual champions Galway at the last four stage.

So their quest for the holy grail goes on but Aimee, who will turn 30 next April, is determined to keep pushing hard to emulate the achievement of an Armagh men’s squad – which included her two brothers – in being crowned All Ireland champions in 2024.

Despite just returning from her second cruciate lay-off towards the end of this spring’s National League campaign, Aimee quickly hit her stride to the extent that she is in the frame for All Ireland Player of the Year again.

Although she joined Blaithin for one AFLW season with Melbourne Demons and played international soccer for Northern Ireland as a teenager, gaelic football for Shanes and Armagh has Aimee’s heart and looks like where her full focus will be from now on.

For all that she has achieved with Armagh and in terms of individual accolades, Senior success with Shanes has been special for a player who first came to wider attention as a high-scoring 16-year-old in the club’s run to Ulster Junior glory way back in 2013.

“We got to Senior 10 years ago but hadn’t reached a final until now.  It’s been a long journey, with highs and lows and everything in between and that has made this even more special,” Aimee told RTE at the launch of the AIB Club Championships last Thursday.

“At the start of the year, we had a meeting and everyone bought into it.  We have always had the ability, but with injuries and Australia, we have been missing a wee bit over the years.  It’s nice to get the reward and it has been a special few weeks for the club.”

Disappointingly, just six players from champions Armagh received Ulster All Stars, with livewire Emily Druse and goalkeeper Brianna Mathers, a clubmate of the Mackin sisters, both being shock omissions from the ceremonial line-up.

Along with the two Mackins, the Orchard contingent included county captain Lauren McConville – Ulster Ladies Footballer of the Year in 2024 – her fellow stalwart Aoife McCoy, predecessor Clodagh McCambridge and corner back Maeve Ferguson.