Armagh desperately needed a win to move out of the Lidl National Football League Division 1 relegation zone and they managed to get it in a tight tussle against Kerry with a two-point victory on a day when Aimee Mackin made her return.
While there was no breeze in Silverbridge, Kerry were playing into the sun as it dipped low in the sky after the 5pm thow-in. Armagh avoided the blinding light as it had fallen below the treeline for the second half.
The Kingdom almost had the ball in the net twice in the first quarter, but it was the Orchard County who rattled it first with a goal from Blaithin Mackin, well set up by Lauren McConville in the tenth minute.
A couple of points followed and the home side led 1-03 to 0-01 but Leah Boyle scored the next point and after 20 minutes, Siofra O'Shea drilled the ball to the roof of the net for the Kingdom.
A trio of Armagh frees - one from Aimee Mackin and two from Kelly Mallon - saw the hosts take a lead into the break.
Kerry were reduced to 14 players when Aoife Dillane was sin-binned before the break and that certainly helped Armagh's cause as they came out strong at the start of the the second half.
They went nine points clear after Mallon put two over the bar and Aimee Mackin, Aoife McCoy and Caoimhe Marley made it 1-11 to 1-02.
Kerry were struggling to find the target, while Aimee Mackin sent another beauty between the sticks before Niamh Ni Chonchuir and sub Maeve Mulvihill responded for the Kingdom.
Kerry continued to chip into Armagh's lead and a second goal from O'Shea made it a two-point game, 1-13 to 2-8 with a few minutes remaining.
Armagh gained possession and tried to keep it as the clock wound down and they managed to do just that to earn a valuable win.
Armagh: B Mathers; M Ferguson, C McCambridge, C Towe; A Donnelly, L McConville, G Ferguson; B Mackin (1-00), C O'Reilly; C McNally, A McCoy (0-02), E Druse; A Mackin (0-04, 0-01f), C O'Hanlon, K Mallon (0-05, 0-02fs).
Subs: M Lennon for McNally (40) E Reid for Marley (42), E Druse for McCoy (55), E McConaghy for Mallon (55).
Kerry: C Butler; E Lynch, D Kearney, R Rahilly; E Ní Laighin, A Dillane, L Boyle (0-01); N Carmody (0-01), A Galvin; K Enright (0-01), N Ní Chonchúir (0-01), C Evans; S O'Shea (2-02, 0-01f), D O'Leary, R Dwyer.
Subs: M Mulvihill (0-01) for Evans (ht), L McMahon for Dwyer (ht), J Lucey for O'Leary (36), N Quinn for Enright (42), K Ryan for Boyle (49).
Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan)
