CROSSMAGLEN ace Oisin O’Neill wants Armagh to shrug off the “entertainers” tag by delivering on the promise within Kieran McGeeney’s panel next year.
The Orchardmen were involved in some thrilling games last summer, especially their extra-time epic against Down in Newry, those Ulster semi-final clashes with Cavan and the exciting qualifier meeting with Mayo in Castlebar.
Yet for all those memorable encounters, there was still a sense of what might have been when all was said and done.
Had they taken their chances against Cavan, especially the first day, they could have reached a first provincial final in 11 years. And they had Mayo on the ropes at times before eventually bowing out at MacHale Park.
Having spent much of the inter-county season sidelined by injury, O’Neill admits it was a frustrating campaign “personally and collectively”.
“I got a bad injury with the club last year and I was only coming back into full fitness whenever Armagh were beat by Mayo in the Championship,” he said.
“But collectively as well, we were frustrated. We felt we had the group of players there that could push on. In 2020, we said there cannot be any more moral victories, we can’t just be the good entertainers or whatever. We have to push on now and have to deliver.
“That’s the way it has been for a couple of years now. We have been involved in some great games, but ultimately that’s not why we, as players, are there. We are there to be successful and to hopefully win things for Armagh.”
Despite that lingering feeling of regret, there are also plenty of positives for Armagh to take from 2019 - not least the emergence of Jarlath Og Burns and Rian O’Neill.
The Cross man shot to prominence with a series of quality displays, and Oisin O’Neill says watching his younger sibling shine provided plenty of inspiration as he battled back from injury.
“Me and Rian would be competitive.
“I suppose we are close as well, there is only 18 months between us and we have always played on the same teams, the same school teams even, when we went to St Colman’s of Newry.
“So Rian had a great year with Armagh last year. I suppose anyone who watched club football in Armagh would have known that he was ready to make the step up.
“The thing with Armagh is that we have another younger group of players coming through now that are ready to add to the thing as well.”
O’Neill may not have been able to make a mark in county colours this year but bounced back impressively to help Cross claim another Armagh title in October.
And with the Dr McKenna Cup beginning just days after Christmas, the 22-year-old is keen to force his way into McGeeney’s thoughts in the new year.
“Between when Armagh were beaten by Mayo and the start of the club Championship with Cross, I was able to get a really good block of training in, there was two months there where there wasn’t much happening so I was able to use that as a good pre-season.
“Personally this year, I hope I am able to force myself onto the team. Armagh is an incredibly tough and competitive squad, even to break into the 26.
“We have 45 at training every night and everyone is there to try and get one of those jerseys. I am no different.”
