The Crossmaglen Rangers star was sensational as Kieran McGeeney’s side overwhelmed the Kingdom with a storming showing in extra-time.
A late Dylan Geaney point rescued Kerry in normal time but Armagh weren’t to be denied in the additional period, as their influential bench led by the likes of Ross McQuillan, Jarly Óg Burns and Stefan Campbell powered them over the line.
Armagh had raced into a three-point lead in extra-time but quickfire points from Cillian Burke and Paudie Clifford dragged Kerry back into it.
Then a Kerry point attempt dropped short but instead of sitting on their lead, Rian O’Neill drove Armagh forward with a brilliant, brave kick-pass into the path of Conor Turbitt.
He fisted over to put them two up and while there was a late scare as Kerry chased a late goal, their man for all seasons Rian O’Neill was there once again to catch it to keep Kerry at bay.
After the match, a passionate O’Neill was delighted with his side’s win.
“Listen, look at that there,” he began, pointing to the big Armagh crowd in the stands.
“Oh my God,” he continued,
“Kerry put it up to us the whole game. We were written off from everywhere. But guess what,” he said, to roars from the crowd.
“The job’s not finished yet. We’ll be back in two weeks. These people will be back. And we’ll go again.”
O’Neill hailed his side’s resilience and passionately put it up to those who said this side couldn’t win tight games.
“Listen, we’ve had setback after setback over the years. We lost on penalties. We never let that affect us. They said we couldn’t win tight games. We won a tight game there today,” he roared.
“We get an awful lot of stick for how we play,” he continued.
“That’s the way everyone’s playing football. It’s the same with Kerry, same with us. We’re just going out to try and win a match whatever way we can.”
Kerry had looked well on their way to victory when a Paul Murphy goal put them four up after 48 minutes but Armagh wouldn’t give in. Superb points from Aidan Forker kept them in it and then they pounced for a goal of their own on 56 minutes through Barry McCambridge.
The brilliant Stefan Campbell looked to have shot them to glory in normal time but Kerry forced the draw.
But Armagh were much the fresher team in the final twenty minutes and they kicked on.
O’Neill says it means the world to Armagh to make it through to the All-Ireland final which will take place in two weeks time.
“It means the world. We’re not coming back in two weeks to make up the numbers. See youse in two weeks.”
