Rían O'Neill fires Armagh to big win over Donegal

Armagh slugged out a hard-earned victory over old foes Donegal at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.

The proverbial four-pointer could go a long way in terms of safety for both sides in their respective Division 1 futures with only two rounds remaining.

With the pressure mounting before and towards the pulsating finish, Rían O'Neill once again rose to each and every pitch of the occasion in front of a partisan crowd.

The more weighty the tension, the more O'Neill seems to rise. Having landed five points on the scoreboard, his early yellow card signalled intent and his relieving catch in front of his own goalmouth at the death was the feather on the cap on a momentous night for the hosts.

The slow-burner began with two goalkeepers landing the first blows, Ethan Rafferty cancelling out Shaun Patton’s now trademark ’45.

That was the only time Donegal led in the entire contest and with Armagh happy to soak and see what the visitors had to offer they were content in standing their ground and forcing Paddy Carr’s men to bashfully shoot from distance.

Armagh full-forward Andrew Murnin enjoys nights like this too. The mercurial attacker was on it early on in leaping for possession and claiming a successful mark thanks to some clever Aidan Forker approach play. Despite some light relief from Conor O’Donnell and Oisín Gallen, O’Neill and Murnin pushed the lead out to four points 0-07 to 0-03 at half-time.

With Aidan O’Rourke viewing from the stands, Donegal needed a way back into the game up front. They looked to the unlikely figure of Hugh McFadden for that inspiration.

Quietly coming on at the end of the first half, midfielder McFadden had a massive say in Donegal’s revitalised second half play.

Scoring twice and assisting another, the