Armagh the focus for Blaithin Mackin after return from Australia

After four seasons of splitting the calendar year between Armagh and AFLW, Blaithin Mackin's focus is now fully on inter-county football.

Having huge success in the sport with Melbourne, alongside her sister Aimee, Blaithin made the decision to take a year away from the sport.

With several inter-county players across the country playing AFLW in the summer, teams across the country will face disruption in the weeks ahead.

A decision that would not have been easy to make, all of Blaithin's focus is now with her county.

"The decision was obviously made a while ago, but I think now I definitely feel more settled.

"A lot of the girls are probably heading over to Australia in the next few weeks. I was obviously lucky enough that I always waited until Armagh finished, so it probably wouldn't have been until July, when you were heading away, but I definitely feel more settled now.

I can just enjoy the off-season. Not that you were ever not going full tilt, but it's probably is in your subconscious that if we get beat here, you're going to be heading away, and you have to do, you know, uplift life and go over there

"You're going to move to a new house, you're going to move to the other side of the world. You're not really settled anywhere for four years. But I loved it, and I wouldn't change it, but I think for this year, definitely the overriding feeling is being settled and just looking forward to the championship."

The Mackin family have had a huge impact in Armagh GAA over the years.

Blaithin and Aimee have been crucial to their county's rise in recent years, with Conor winning an All-Ireland in 2024, and Ciaran back from injury for Kieran McGeeney's side.

Injuries have been cruel on the Mackin's, with Aimee and Ciaran