Football

Why Armagh's Rian O'Neill was always destined to shine

For those who know him best, Rian O’Neill’s match-winning contribution to Armagh’s recent victory over Down came as no surprise. As Neil Loughran finds out, the Crossmaglen man was always destined for the top...

Rian O'Neill made an impressive Championship debut for Armagh earlier this month, driving them to victory over Down in Newry. Picture by Philip Walsh
Rian O'Neill made an impressive Championship debut for Armagh earlier this month, driving them to victory over Down in Newry. Picture by Philip Walsh Rian O'Neill made an impressive Championship debut for Armagh earlier this month, driving them to victory over Down in Newry. Picture by Philip Walsh

STANDING near the mouth of the Athletic Grounds tunnel moments after watching his side beat Ballymacnab last October, Crossmaglen boss Donal Murtagh could finally enjoy the moment.

Two years they had gone without winning an Armagh title before that day – a lifetime in the recent history of a club for whom collecting silverware at county, provincial and national level had become habit.

Trailing by three at the break, Murtagh’s decision to move Rian O’Neill out of the full-forward line and into midfield was a key factor in the Cross comeback.

From being double-marked and feeding on scraps, the 19-year-old was imperious in the second half. And his manager didn’t even attempt to play down O’Neill’s impact, or his potential.

“There is absolutely no end to what that man can achieve in Gaelic football,” said Murtagh.

“That man can be the best player in Ireland if he wants to be. He has absolutely everything - and Oisin’s not too far behind him either.”

A month earlier, Joe Kernan is sat in Belfast’s Europa bus station with a coffee.

As manager of club, county and country, Kernan worked with some of the greatest players Gaelic football has seen.

Yet, even before Cross had reassumed their position on the Armagh throne, Kernan’s eyes lit up when talk turned to the O’Neill brothers.

“I honestly believe that, for the next 10 years, these two boys can not only keep Cross at the top, but help Armagh get back up the stairs too,” he said, “back to where they want to be.”

Kieran McGeeney probably winces slightly when he reads such glowing reviews or hears the praise that has followed Rian O’Neill’s performance against Down earlier this month.

Across the board at inter-county level, the temptation is always to handle precocious talents with extra care. After all, it would be easy to forget that game in Newry was O’Neill’s first taste of Championship football with Armagh.

In Cross, though, they do things differently. Expectation comes with the territory – it is up to you to deal with it.

Against Down there were two moments - one at the very beginning and one at the very end - that spoke volumes of O’Neill’s fearless approach.

The first saw Ethan Rafferty lay the ball off to him 18 seconds in. Out under the stand, O’Neill could have turned back and looked for a team-mate as Armagh eased into the game.

Instead he turned, had a quick look, and slipped the ball between the posts from an acute angle.

The second was 85-plus minutes later, deep in extra-time, with the scores level. A Down attack falls apart and the ball is worked to O’Neill. He looks up and, without a thought, arrows a dipping 50 metre pass into the square for Andrew Murnin to fist to the net.

Former Down player Cathal Murray was one of the many Mourne supporters left with his head in his hands at Pairc Esler as the Orchard booked their place in Sunday’s Ulster semi-final with Cavan.

However, there was also pride at watching a former pupil strut his stuff in such magnificent fashion.

“The trajectory with which he put that ball in…” recalls Murray, who coached O’Neill during his time at St Colman’s College, Newry.

“That just sums him up – he wasn’t going to be overawed by any Championship or anybody who was marking him.

“He knows he’s good enough, and he has that steel in his bones as well that nothing will faze him.”

Predictably, his reputation came to precede him, and led to O’Neill being earmarked for special treatment wherever he went.

More of the same might come his way in Clones on Sunday, especially after his star turn last time out. In the past he has reacted in frustration, but Murray feels O’Neill has turned a corner on that front.

“It’s difficult - what do you do when boys are hanging out of you?

“He probably had to grow up a lot as a 17/18-year-old playing with Crossmaglen… he maybe had to stand up for himself in his first year or two at senior level, and that has brought him on.

“You don’t let boys walk over the top of you, and Rian never did, but I think his temperament is certainly improving. He’s more experienced and able to deal with that.”

And the expectation that follows every step of his journey? That’s nothing new.

“He’s been dealing with it all his life,” added Murray.

“From the day he came into the school, you could see there was something special about Rian.

“He’s similar to a Michael Murphy to some degree in that he’s a finisher, but if you need him around the middle of the field – as Armagh did when Murnin came in – he can play there.

“As a defender it’s hard to know what to do with him. Rian would be unpredictable, he might do some things differently the next day – he has so many tools in his armoury.”