Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: N'agbata afọ 1981 na
Na 1988, MacNeill gbara bọọlụ iri atọ na asaa maka mba Ireland. O mere bọọlụ mbụ ya maka Ireland na 7 Febụwarị 1981 megide France na Lansdowne Road, na-agbakọ nke mbụ n'ime iri mba ụwa na-agbalị. N'otu asọmpi ahụ, o nyere goolu nke abụọ mgbe ha na Wales na-agba, ma nye goolu ọzọ mgbe ha na England na-agba. Ọ gbara goolu ọzọ megide England na 1982 na Scotland na 1988. O tinyekwara penariti megide Wales n'afọ 1983. MacNeill bụ onye otu ndị otu Ireland nke meriri asọmpi Five Nations Championship na Triple Crown na 1982 na 1985 ma soro France kerịta asọmpi ahụ na 1983. Ọ bụkwa onye otu ndị otu Ireland na 1987 Rugby World Cup, ebe ọ gbara agba anọ na egwuregwu anọ nke Ireland, otu megide Canada, abụọ megide Tonga na otu na njedebe nke njedebe nke Australia. MacNeill mere egwuregwu ikpeazụ ya maka Ireland megide England na 23 Eprel 1988. Ya na Tony Ward, Moss Keane, Donal Spring na Ciaran Fitzgerald, MacNeill jụrụ isonye na njem rugby union Ireland nke 1981 nke South Africa n'oge oge ịkpa oke agbụrụ. Mgbe bọmbụ ahụ gbara na Docklands n'afọ 1996, ya na Trevor Ringland, MacNeill nyere aka hazie egwuregwu enyi na enyi n'etiti Ireland na ndị Barbarian na Lansdowne Road iji gosi na ndị Ireland chọrọ udo.