McGeeney 'doubts' O'Neill will play for Armagh in 2025

Armagh boss Kieran McGeeney has said that he doesn't expect Rian O'Neill to be available for the All-Ireland champions this season.

The Crossmaglen man has not featured for Armagh this year and McGeeney said following his team's opening League game in Galway in late January that O'Neill was "taking a few months to himself", adding: "I don't know whether it's weeks or months".

There were reports a couple of weeks ago that O'Neill was set to return to the squad but following Armagh's 2-21 to 0-17 Division One defeat by Kerry on Saturday night, McGeeney cast doubt on any likelihood of the All-Star playing for his county in 2025.

"We will not see Rian for a good while, I would say," said McGeeney.

Asked whether he expected O'Neill to feature in the championship, the Armagh manager replied: "I would doubt it. He has his own stuff going on. As I said, I don't like to go into fellas' personal lives. We just have to respect that and let him do what he has to do.

"Give the fella the space. He deserves that. I am trying to do it for him."

Armagh face Antrim in their Ulster Championship opener on 12 April, with the game now fixed for Newry's Pairc Esler after Ulster GAA didn't sanction the contest being played at Antrim's current home venue Corrigan Park.

Goals from Dylan Geaney and Paudie Clifford helped Kerry into a commanding 2-13 to 0-6 half-time advantage in Saturday's game in Tralee and the Kingdom's lead was never under threat despite an improved Armagh second-half performance.

McGeeney has been among the county manager to criticise the introduction of the new playing rules and he expressed annoyance at him in turn being criticised for venturing his opinion.

"I don't want to talk about the rules. At this stage, you must be sick of it. Then when I say it, you have whingers out there telling me I am whining, which is rich coming from some of them. The biggest whingers I've ever seen.

"I'd rather talk about the game. I'm not being disrespectful, honestly. At this stage let the egos work away and let us do the football."