Rian O'Neill fires Armagh to impressive win over Dublin in Allianz Football League

Rian O'Neill fired 1-04 in a scintillating display as Kieran McGeeney's Armagh beat Dublin in the opening round of the Allianz Football League at Croke Park.

Both the Crossmaglen star and Jason Duffy found the net during a devastating 20-minute spell before half-time where the Orchard County scored 2-07 to the Dubs’ 0-02.

With Dublin hoping to restore belief after the manner of their All-Ireland semi-final collapse against Mayo last summer, hitting the opening two points through Brian Howard and Cormac Costello should have calmed them.

By the 23rd minute, however, the alarm bells were ringing as Armagh and O’Neill took over the game.

Jason Duffy chips Evan Comerford to score Armagh's second goal - the visitors lead 2-08 to 0-05 in Croke Park - watch live on @rte2 and @rteplayer #rtegaa pic.twitter.com/arpi2MH8qa

O’Neill notched two points while Aidan Nugent and Duffy hit one apiece before the first goal of the game arrived.

A sloppy Howard handpass was intercepted by Rory Grugan in his own half and he fed Nugent around midfield, with the latter arrowing a long kick into the danger area.

O’Neill collected the ball, drove at goal and slotted to the bottom corner past Evan Comerford.

The rangy forward blasted over a bomb from 35 yards just minutes after, and though Cormac Costello and Ciaran Kilkenny pointed either side of it, the orange jerseys were in charge.

Their dominance was underlined by a lovely Duffy goal on 28 minutes. He skipped past John Small at the edge of the 'D’, before clipping the ball over Comerford and into the net.

It kickstarted a scoring run of 1-03 without reply for the Orchard County before the interval, with the Dubs looking strangely off-colour.

Errant shooting, sloppy passing, and poor decision-making