Oisín O’Neill’s Armagh SFC final diary: Crossmaglen, Caolan and the cup in the graveyard

Oisin O’Neill is a current Armagh senior footballer who played for his club, Crossmaglen Rangers, last weekend as they won a record 48th Senior Club Championship title.

Oisín O'Neill: 'There are young lads in our club who’ve been through immeasurable loss. The way to get through is by pulling together.' Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

A week out from our county final, I was a wreck. The Down county final should have been a sufficient outlet to take the edge off the nerves, but all it did was add to the weight of it.

My wife Chloe and I walked up to the ground. We live nearby. Former school friends were dotted across the field, and Armagh team-mate Paddy Burns was playing for Burren. It had all the makings of a great day out as a neutral until Clonduff captain Stephen McConville, a lad I spent seven years with in school and another three in college, slotted an insurance free down the straight and pointed to the sky. I immediately wanted us to be able to do something similar.