Donegal captain Michael Murphy believes Sunday's Ulster SFC brawl got out of hand because neither Armagh or Cavan wanted to show signs of fear.

"I'm sure both teams were focussed to execute the game plan," he said to The Irish Daily Star.

"But football and hurling throws up things you really can't plan for. It's how you react as individuals, how you react as a team and what your principles are.

"The teams didn't want to be showing any kind of fear. They didn't want to back down. I suppose it's natural for the first game of the Championship.

"I know they're playing in a tight venue (the Athletic Grounds) in Armagh.

"I'm sure the whole lead up to the game was built up as a big game. When something like that happens, both teams didn't want to back down.

"It was just unfortunate the time it happened. It was unfortunate the position that it happened, so close to spectators and what not.

"I think it's just important the whole Association learns from it now and tries to put in procedures and protocols that everybody follows." Tweet

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