Latest news with #RianO'Neill
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Christy O'Connor: Two-pointers came to the fore across All-Ireland SFC and Tailteann Cup games
This weekend has been a turning point for 2-point shots and scores When Rian O'Neill returned to the Armagh squad for their match against Derry last weekend, his comeback signalled more than just a boost to Armagh's ambitions to retain the All-Ireland; it also added a significant weapon to Armagh's arsenal, especially in the context of 2-pointers. This is exclusive subscriber content. Already a subscriber? Sign in Subscribe to access all of the Irish Examiner. Annual €120€60 Best value Monthly €10€4 / month Unlimited access. Subscriber content. Daily ePaper. Additional benefits.
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Armagh blossom against misfiring Dublin and are through to All-Ireland quarter-fin
All-Ireland champions Armagh booked their place in the last eight of this year's All-Ireland as they accounted for Dublin by five points at Croke Park. With Derry and Galway drawing earlier in the day, the winners at GAA HQ knew that they would book that quarter-final spot. And while Dublin started well, with Cormac Costello kicking over some fine points, the Ulster side would eventually find their groove, with Rian O'Neill firing over telling two-point scores and it was Kieran McGeeney's side who held a 0-13 to 0-08 advantage at the break. Dublin's cause was not helped by kicking 17 wides to Armagh's seven. The Sam Maguire holders kept their opponents at bay throughout the second period and used the subs bench to good effect.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Reigning champions Armagh secure All-Ireland quarter-final berth with resounding win over Dublin
All-Ireland SFC: Dublin 0-3-16 (19) Armagh 0-5-19 (24) All-Ireland champions Armagh are the first team through to the quarter-finals after a resounding win over Dublin in Croke Park this evening. Five points was the final margin but it felt like so much more as the winners ensured they will finish ahead of everyone in Group 4 with a round to spare. Watched by 38,763, Armagh led by 0-13 to 0-9 at half-time and capitalised on three consecutive three-up/four-back transgressions by an insipid Dublin to extend their lead to seven by the 45th minute. The frequency of the infractions was a bad look for Dublin who compensated with a couple of two-pointers to draw within five points with 17 minutes remaining. Seán Bugler kicked the second of them only to then kick a couple of wides, the second from a relatively easy position. Armagh were simply a more clued-in side. In the second half, Ben Crealey and Darragh McMullan gave them a platform in the middle and the latter put them seven up in the 50th minute and the game seemed to be over when Rian O'Neill thumped over his third two-pointer, the first from a free, in the 59th minute and Armagh were eight to the good. A desperate Dublin searched for two-pointers and bagged a third via Paddy Small but the wide count kept ticking and the total of 18 told plenty about their day. There wasn't much efficiency in the first half either. Armagh had two goal shots kept out by Stephen Cluxton and missed another six attempts at goal but Dublin were guilty of more erratic finishing. Cormac Costello ended the half with his side's seventh wide and 10th miss for the opening half. Armagh's Rian O'Neill celebrates a two-point score with Oisin Conaty. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho Ironically, Costello had been his team's best player in that period, scoring three points from play and winning a free he converted. Colm Basquel struck two wides inside the first 15 minutes and was withdrawn five minutes later. Dublin looked the part in the opening 11 minutes when they pushed 0-6 to 0-3 playing into Hill 16, but were hauled back courtesy of a Rory Grugan two-pointer and Jarlath Óg Burns's second point from play. Cluxton made his first save in the 19th minute from Oisín Conaty and Dublin made plenty of the let-off with the next couple of points to go two up. There was pace in their football and their inside line were enjoying the duels that came off it. However, what followed was an Armagh blitz, seven points in six minutes, two of them two-point scores, an enduring floater from Rian O'Neill which followed an equivalent score from a Grugan free outside the arc. Dublin were being walloped on their kick-out, the frenzied efforts of their half-forward preventing Cluxton from finding pockets and forcing him long where the likes of Ben Crealey and Ross McQuillan were breaking ball. Conor Turbitt sent over his second score courtesy of the restart that came after O'Neill's kick and Conaty also brought his total to two points on the half-hour mark to stretch Armagh's lead to five points. Costello did send over a free, Dublin's first point in 12 minutes, in the 34th minute, but the wide he added over a minute later typified his team's performance, if not his own. Scorers for Dublin: C. Costello (0-8, 1tp, 3 frees); P. Small (0-4, 1tp); S. Bugler (0-3, 1tp); L. Gannon (0-2); L. O'Dell, B. Howard (0-1 each). Scorers for Armagh: R. Grugan (0-8, 1tp, 1tpf, 4 frees); R. O'Neill (0-6, 2 tps, 1tpf); J. Burns, O. Conaty, C. Turbitt (0-2 each); E. Rafferty, D. McMullan, S. Campbell, J. McElroy (0-1 each). DUBLIN: S. Cluxton; D. Byrne, T. Clancy, A. Gavin; N. Scully, B. Howard. S. MacMahon; P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, C. Kilkenny (c); K. McGinnis, S. Bugler, C. Basquel; P. Small, C. Costello, L. O'Dell. Subs for Dublin: L. Gannon for C. Basquel (20); J. Small for A. Gavin (h-t); T. Lahiff for K. McGinnis, L. Breathnach for L. O'Dell (both 48); E. O'Donnell for N. Scully (61). ARMAGH: E. Rafferty; B. McCambridge, P. Burns, P. McGrane; R. McQuillan, T. Kelly, J. Burns; J. Duffy, B. Crealey; D. McMullan, O. Conaty, A. Murnin; R. Grugan (c), R. O'Neill, C. Turbitt. Subs for Armagh: S. Campbell for C. Turbitt (53); J. McElroy for J. Duffy (64); T. McCormack for R. Grugan (67); N. Grimley for R. O'Neill (68). Referee: J. McQuillan (Cavan).
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Rian O'Neill hailed as ‘big player for big moments' as All-Ireland winner insists Armagh ‘lesser team without him'
STEVIE McDONNELL believes Rían O'Neill's comeback adds huge value to Armagh's All-Ireland defence. The hitman starred as the Orchard won Sam Maguire last summer — but was absent from Kieran McGeeney's squad when the 2025 campaign began. 2 Rian O'Neill is back in the fold with Armagh Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile 2 Steven McDonnell called it a huge boost for Armagh Credit: Ray McManus/Sportsfile O'Neill returned to inter-county training in February before But the Crossmaglen man And McDonnell says the end of his exile is a huge boost for Armagh in their bid to stay on top ahead of today's He told SunSport: 'Rían is a fantastic player for Armagh. Read More on GAA 'You only have to look at his performances last year in the key moments.' O'Neill shone when the Orchard edged Kerry after extra-time in last year's All-Ireland semi-final, scoring three points. He also grabbed a crucial point in the 1-11 to 0-13 showpiece triumph over Galway at GAA HQ. But McDonnell said: 'He probably wasn't consistently at the level where he can be last year but he stepped up in the key moments of the key games. Most read in GAA Football 'What I mean by that is in the semi-final, he caught the ball under the crossbar, drove out of the defence, gave the ball to Conor Turbitt and kicked a massive score against Kerry when we badly needed the point. 'His point in the final was massive. Tipperary GAA star 'had to do live apology on RTE' the day after cursing during All-Ireland interview - 'Big players perform in big moments and that's what Rían did last year. 'Having him back adds strength and value to Armagh's cause. 'When you think about it, a lot of people wondered if Armagh would be in the mix without Rian O'Neill. 'But they're a lesser team without him and having him back now is a huge bonus.'
Irish Independent
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Rian O'Neill returns as Armagh bounce back from Ulster final woe with victory over Derry
Armagh left their Ulster final heartbreak behind them when opening their All-Ireland SFC campaign with a hard-earned victory against Derry as Rian O'Neill made his return to the Orchard side in the Athletic Grounds.
