In capturing the coveted man of the match award in Armagh’s stunning All-Ireland Semi-Final victory over Kerry on Sunday, Rian O’Neill further cemented his influence within a team that has gone from strength to strength this year.
O’Neill’s uncanny ability to land points from seemingly impossible distances coupled with his penchant for bolstering the defence when required to do so mark him down as the complete player yet he is hoping to deliver even more against Galway next weekend .
Whether he is assigned to a role in the attack or tasked with imposing his considerable presence at midfield, O’Neill will invariably deliver the goods and that’s why manager Kieran McGeeney views him as a vital component within his side.
It is a measure of O’Neill’s rampant hunger for success that, immediately after the game against Kerry he maintained that “the job is just half-done” before fixing his attention on the showdown with Galway.
“We have had more than our share of setbacks over the course of recent years, particularly when it came to penalty shoot-outs but we never let that upset us,” insists O’Neill, a busy electrician. “We just fixed our attention on the next match and got on with it. From our perspective, the job is only half-done but we hope to finish it in style on Sunday- week.”
Indeed, few teams have had as many brushes with potential disaster as Armagh and yet their spirit remains almost frightening in its intensity.
“We are not going into the All-Ireland Final to make up the numbers, no way,” declares O’Neill, “We really have our hearts set on winning.”