His league and championship career at senior level with the Mayo and Louth county teams lasted a decade from 1953 until 1963.
O'Neill won a Connacht and National League medals with the team, however a dispute with the County Board over expenses saw him walk away from the side in 1956.
[2] O'Neill played with several clubs in Drogheda, County Louth after moving there in 1954 to serve as a member of the Garda Síochána.
After leaving the Mayo set-up, he was soon selected on the Louth senior team and won All-Ireland and Leinster medals in 1957, while playing club football with St Dominic's.
In 1959, he joined south-side Drogheda club Naomh Mhuire and played in the 1961 Louth Senior Football Championship final, losing to Newtown Blues.