Lennon happy to have “leader” O’Neill back in action

OISIN O’Neill returned to club action on Saturday night for the first time in the championship campaign as Crossmaglen secured their semi-final spot with a six-point triumph over Carrickcruppen.

O’Neill, who hadn’t featured for the Rangers since limping off during a league game against Armagh Harps at the end of July, started Saturday’s quarter-final and last the duration of the entire contest.

Cross manager Shane Lennon, in his first year in charge of the club, was delighted to welcome the 2024 All-Ireland winner back to the fold “Obviously, his leadership is massive to have,” said the former Louth attacker.

“Oisin’s a vice-captain. It’s nearly every game, we’re on our third captain this year with injuries. Callum Cumiskey, (James) Morgan and Oisin are the stand-in captains.

“When you’re missing players like that, the bounce that Oisin gives, even in training, the leadership he has. We’ve young lads out there who are still plying their trade. Part of my role coming in there is to try and blood some of the players from that minor set-up.

“You see Aaron Haughey out there, Gene McEntee – probably their first real full championship campaign. There are plenty of examples to look up to in the Crossmaglen dressing room and Oisin would be one of them big figures.”

The aforementioned Cumiskey also made a first appearance of the championship, coming in off the bench, as did Odhran Kieran, although Morgan did miss out through injury. The three week break before the semi-final could mean he’ll be back for their next outing.

“As soon as we got the black card, we knew who we needed to go in and control and settle things down a wee bit,” Lennon said of introducing skipper Cumiskey to the fold. “Obviously, the black card, big momentum can go if you lose your discipline in that last ten minutes.

“If Blaine (Hughes) had of kicked that two-pointer (near the end) and got it back for four points, it would have been hairy. They had the threat in there in the square and we were missing a few bodies.

“Morgy is massive in there defensively. Then Caolan Dillon ran into Cian (McConville) and injured himself after five minutes. I don’t know what’s wrong with our defenders, but we’ve an injury crisis in there!

“Caolan has a knock, but he’ll be good to go in three weeks’ time. Morgy was starting the morning of the game but just his hip flared up. He has a wee bit of a slight issue but he’s going to be okay,” Lennon continued.

“Odhran Kieran, I think he got injured in the third league game and was ruled out for the year. I would have liked to have gotten him a couple more minutes because Odhran is a big player for us as well.

“We’ve other lads, obviously, it’s going to be touch and go for three weeks’ time. We’ve a good medical team there and hopefully we’ll get them turned around. A bit of magic spray and get them back out.”