Paul Grimley issued a stout defence of Armagh's game plan after their surprise loss to Cavan.

The Orchard County have adopted a cavalier approach this season which left them vulnerable at the back at Kingspan Breffni Park.

"We were too slow. We'd worked on this high-pressure game," the under-fire manager said.

"But we didn't adapt it at all in the first half. In the second half, there was a bit more determination, a bit more fluency, the movement was a bit better and we were starting to take the right options whereas in the first half we were taking the wrong options at times.

"But you have to give Cavan credit for the tactics they used. I was tempted to go back and use the sweeper, but is the way we have been working for the last six months and, as I said to the boys, it wouldn't say much about me if I was to change it after 35 minutes."

Grimley insisted that the Orchard County's season is far from over.

"If you look at Laois last year, they were put out in the first round and reached the All-Ireland quarter-finals. It certainly doesn't look good tonight, but we'll see where we are in July and August," he defiantly added. Tweet

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