By Jackie Cahill

Kerry boss Graham Shine hailed the contribution of teen sensation Hannah O'Donoghue as the Kingdom roared into the semi-finals of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies senior football championship.

Manager Shine worked with O'Donoghue when Kerry won successive All-Ireland U16 crowns in 2015 and 2016.

And he had no worries about handing the Beaufort starlet into a senior debut against Armagh on Saturday at Nowlan Park.

16-year-old O'Donoghue delivered a sparkling display before limping off injured late on.

Kerry are awaiting the results of scans conducted yesterday but are hopeful that their underage Republic of Ireland soccer international will be fit to face Dublin in the August 26 semi-final.

Following their 3-14 to 2-11 success, O'Donoghue said: "First senior start today - Hannah's been with me at U16 for two years.

"She's a talent but not only Hannah - we have Jadyn Lucey, Fiadhna Tangney and Labhaoise Walmsley, we have loads of young girls coming up.

"It's great that we can blend old and young - it's fresh and something different.

"We'll be underdogs going in against Dublin but that's the way we like it - we have plenty to work on, which is great."

Experienced attacker Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh added 1-3 for the Munster champions as Kerry saw off Armagh by six points.

Shine's Kerry were two points down at half-time, 2-7 to 2-9, but they outscored Armagh by 1-7 to 0-2 in the second half.

Kerry were much the better side after the break - and Armagh suffered a massive blow with 11 minutes left when Niamh Marley was sin-binned.

While O'Donoghue caught the eye for Kerry, Aimee Mackin was superb for Armagh, particularly in the first half when she rattled home two excellent goals.

The Shane O'Neills player went into battle nursing a hand injury but still finished with 2-4, including 2-3 in the opening half.

She could have had a hat-trick of goals but Kerry goalkeeper Laura Fitzgerald denied her approaching half-time with a magnificent tip-over save.

O'Donoghue netted in the tenth minute for Kerry, finishing off good approach play from the lively Sarah Houlihan and Laura Rogers, and Shine's charges had a 1-3 to 0-0 lead.

But Armagh roused themselves to register 2-5 without reply, as Kerry struggled on their own restarts.

Mackin netted twice in a minute midway through the half to turn the game on its head and both were cracking finishes past Fitzgerald.

Anna Galvin drew Kerry level at 2-7 apiece with a 28th minute goal but Armagh's response was impressive, as scores from Aoife McCoy and Lauren McConville established a two-point half-time lead.

It could have been even better as Armagh registered seven first half wides - and Fitzgerald produced two fine saves - but their challenge petered out in the second half.

Sean O'Kane's Armagh were rocked back on their heels just 20 seconds after the restart, as Ní Mhuircheartaigh scored Kerry's third goal.

From there until the finish, they would not be caught, as McCoy and Mackin scored Armagh's only points of the second half.

O'Kane said: "I wasn't happy with the refereeing today - but the referee didn't beat us.

"If anybody wants to see the stats, they can see the stats, the frees were three to one."

But O'Kane confirmed that he wants to remain on in charge for a second season, adding: "I will surely, we'll have another go at it. It's long hours but at the end of the day it's football, and it's an addiction."

And O'Kane warned Kerry that they face an uphill task against Dublin in the last four.

He reflected: "I hope for Graham Shine they do (compete) but I don't see it, there's a gulf there.

"You know where they struggle and I'm sure Dublin will see it too.

"I hope they have a good game against them but they'll be outsiders. We'll watch that with bated breath."

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