Stephen O'Neill
 |
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Stiofán Ó Néill | ||
| Sport | Gaelic football | ||
| Position | Corner Forward | ||
| Born |
19 November 1980 Strabane, Tyrone |
||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Occupation | Primary School Teacher | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| 1997– | Clann na nGael | ||
| Inter-county(ies) | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
| 1999– | Tyrone | 30 (7–114) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Ulster titles | 5 | ||
| All-Irelands | 3 | ||
| NFL | 2 | ||
| All Stars | 3 | ||
Stephen O'Neill (born 19 November 1980) is a Gaelic footballer from Aughabrack, Northern Ireland, who plays for the Tyrone senior football team. He won three All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, two Under 21 medals, and a Minor medal. He was the 2005 All Stars Footballer of the Year, and won All Stars Awards in 2001, 2005 and 2009.
His style of play is quite traditional as a full forward, often getting on the end of passes, and scoring with his preferred left foot. It's his superior physical strength that sets him apart from his peers, coupled with his agility on the ball, making him very difficult to mark.
O'Neill announced his retirement from the Tyrone Gaelic football team in January 2008, but made himself available for the All-Ireland final of the same year. Tyrone won the competition, but O'Neill refused to accept the medal, citing the fact that he felt he had not earned it, having not been part of the team on their journey to the final.
O'Neill is a primary four school teacher at St. Mary's Primary School in Killyclogher, County Tyrone. He previously taught at St. Mary's Primary School in Bellaghy, County Londonderry. O'Neill married Phenah McSorley from Aghyaran, County Tyrone on 9 July 2009.
O'Neill has had considerable success with Tyrone youth teams winning 2 Ulster and All-Ireland under 21 titles in 2000 and 2001 to add to his Ulster Minor championship medals in 1997 and 1998 and his All-Ireland minor championship in 1998.
O'Neill burst on to the senior county scene and by 2001 had won an Ulster title and the first of his three All Star Awards. During his time with Tyrone he was first choice penalty taker – scoring three in the run up to Tyrone's 2005 All-Ireland victory, and also shared free-taking duty with Eoin Mulligan—usually dictated by who is kicking on their stronger side.
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