O’Neill drops out of Armagh line-up

Rian O’Neill has been left out of the Armagh panel that host Westmeath this Saturday afternoon in the opening round of the All-Ireland group stages.

O’Neill was substituted in extra time of Armagh’s Ulster final defeat to Donegal and his midfield spot has been taken by Tiernan Kelly.

It’s one of two changes that Kieran McGeeney has made to the starting team, with Greg McCabe dropping to the bench in place of Conor O’Neill.

The versatile Killeavy man returns to the half back line, earning his first appearance since the Donegal league clash in late February.

Tiernan Kelly gets his first start since the last round of the league against Cork. He hasn’t started a championship game since the first round of the USFC last year against Antrim.

Armagh: B Hughes, P Burns, A McKay, P McGrane, C O’Neill, C Mackin, A Forker, T Kelly, B Crealey, J McElory, R Grugan, S Campbell, O Conaty, A Murnin, C Turbitt.

Subs: E Rafferty, B McCambridge, C Mackin, G McCabe, N Grimley, O O’Neill, S McPartlan, R McQuillan, J Burns, A Nugent, J Duffy.

Listen to the most recent episode of the Gaelic Lives podcast as Martin McElhinney and Barry O’Donnell preview Donegal’s battle with Tyrone.