Star man O’Neill pleased with his performance

COLM O’Neill has yet again showed the country that he is one, if not the best, attacking footballer in the country.

Leaving aside his dogged determination and resilience to play the game at the top level after suffering a host of serious injuries, the Ballyclough man is now as clinical a forward as the GAA has seen in years.

The Brogan brothers in Dublin, Donegal’s Michael Murphy and even Kerry’s Colm Cooper are all lauded for their ability to play the game, but there should be little doubt that the poster boy for the modern day forward is O’Neill.

Last Sunday, O’Neill took the much heralded Donegal full back line apart. Two goals and a major influence on the third meant that Cork’s go-to-guy yet again delivered.

“I am really happy with the way I played today” O’Neill told

on the final whistle. “I didn’t get too much ball so we had to work hard when it came to us but we are delighted with the way things turned out.”

While winning the league is far from the team’s ultimate goal this season, O’Neill is aware that there should be some importance placed on last Sunday’s win.

“It is always good to win, there is no doubt about that, but it is even better when it is against a team like Donegal and better still when it is in Croke Park. It is hugely important to win games here, we will be

hoping to make our way back here for the championship so every game we can get in Croke Park helps.”

O’Neill and his colleagues may be looking forward to the impending championship ties which are now just around the corner but there is still the matter of a National League final to take care of and that is a proposition that the number 13 is relishing.

“A national final at Croke Park is why we play the game. It is great to get all the way to the last game of any campaign so we will do everything we can to win. Of course it is going to be tough but the lads have shown this year that we are going really well so we must try to keep the winning momentum on our side.” O’Neill will surely get another chance to impress on the national stage in next week’s league final and if his ability to trouble the net in previous games is anything to go by, then he is sure to be more than a handful for the Dublin rearguard.