Continued...
Those who know him say he’s quite a reserved character. “Quiet as a mouse”, says Kernan. “He'll certainly not overpower any conversation.”
If it’s possible to provide an answer with 10 words, O’Neill will give you nine.
You’ll never hear him ranting and raving or banging tables before games either.
“I’d consider him to be confident but he doesn’t strike me as someone who is arrogant or obtuse,” says McEntee.
Following their soul-sapping Ulster defeat up in Ballybofey two months ago - where O’Neill didn’t score - the Armagh camp consoled themselves with the fact that they were still only two wins away from an All-Ireland quarter-final berth at Croke Park.
They recovered brilliantly and breezed past defending All-Ireland champions Tyrone and gained revenge on bogey team Donegal in the Qualifiers and now face Connact champions Galway this weekend.
Armagh are one of the most talked-about teams left in the Sam Maguire race, probably due to the fact it’s eight years since they last breached the latter stages.
With their fascinating ascension comes more scrutiny, particularly for the leaders of Kieran McGeeney’s team.
Joe Brolly maintains Rian O'Neill has a bit to prove to be regarded as a great player
So just how good is Rian O’Neill?
It depends who you ask.
For Gaelic football pundit Joe Brolly, O’Neill still has some road to travel to reach the gold standards of the modern-day greats of the game, but feels he has the rich potential to do so.
“You’ve got a player here who has everything – pace, power, athleticism, two feet, kicking it off the ground,” Brolly says.
“So the question is, why is he not a David Clifford? Why is he not playing like that because his level of ability is extraordinary, well beyond your normal, very good county footballer. He’s still young.
“Clifford embraced his talent very young and immediately accepted the responsibility that comes with being a great footballer, i.e. ‘I will win this f***ing game for my team. That is my role. My role on the pitch is to be the deciding factor. I will be a Brian Fenton, a Con O’Callaghan, or a Ciaran Kilkenny. I will not play passively…’
“But he is not fully embracing the responsibility that comes with his talent. I think we’ve seen it in glimpses…
“Players like David Clifford and Con O’Callaghan always perform in ‘the clutch’ [of games] and have guided their team to victory and turned games around.
“Rian has now had a couple of good games – not great games given the nature of his ability but he must constantly accept responsibility and constantly perform in ‘the clutch’ because that’s what his ability deserves. I believe he can be a great player and he can guide his county to great things…”
Brolly adds: “Put it this way, if Rian O’Neill scores a goal on Sunday, it’s highly likely Armagh will beat Galway because of the huge lift that will give the crowd.
“What Galway will want is Rian playing out around the middle area of the field, picking up the ball and laying it off. Of course he can pass a ball and all of that. My point is that he must lead his team now because he has the ability to do it.”
Weighing up Brolly’s lofty Clifford comparison, Kernan feels O’Neill offers Armagh things Clifford doesn’t offer Kerry and that his Crossmaglen team-mate has always been totally unfazed by pressure.
“Rian can hit 1-7 inside but he’ll win turnovers in the middle of the field whenever we’re desperate to win a ball,” Kernan says.
“He will be back in his own square fetching ball over his goalkeeper’s head.
“David Clifford can’t do that. Or if he can, I’ve never seen him doing it. Also, look at the team David Clifford is on – I know they haven’t won an All-Ireland – but his whole team are probably on a different plane to where Armagh are at right now.
“Now, if Armagh keep going the way they’re going and add in a few players, we might be able to leave Rian inside all the time.
“Sometimes we look at people through different glasses.
“Rian is a player people come to see play. We’re blessed to have someone of his ability in Crossmaglen and Armagh at the moment.”
What’s irrefutable, however, is how Rian O’Neill has radically changed the dynamic of Geezer's Armagh team.
With him in their ranks, they’re a more self-assured unit.
Kernan likens O’Neill to his uncle Oisin and how ‘Cross always felt “safe” when the 2002 All-Ireland winner was on the field.
McEntee adds: “In a lot of the top teams, you’ve plenty of players who are very, very good. In that Armagh squad, there are a lot of excellent footballers – players who might not be great inside but are good at half-forward or wing-back.
“Every good team needs a bit of high quality about it, a cut above the rest – and Rian fits that brief.”
From an Armagh perspective and indeed neutrals all around the country, Croke Park beckons for one of the best footballers to emerge from the Orchard County in a generation.
) you know what to do tomorrow:
