Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney says the veterans in his squad “still have a lot to offer” and hopes that they defer thoughts of retirement after yesterday’s championship exit to Kerry.

The Ulster champions bowed out of this year’s Sam Maguire Cup race after suffering a 4-18 to 0-17 defeat in Killarney, where David Clifford starred with 1-10 over the 70 minutes for the Kingdom.

Speaking to media after the game, McGeeney says he hopes the elder statesmen in his panel continue to soldier on for Armagh in 2027.

“Everybody in that changing room still has a lot to offer,” the Orchard boss is quoted saying by BelfastLive.co.uk.

“The likes of Aidan (Forker) and Rory (Grugan) for example - they’ve only come back into fitness around May time.

“They had no pre-season, they were starting to come and I still think themselves and Andrew (Murnin) and Paddy Burns still have a lot to offer.

“I think too if we had some of those older players at the tail end of this year that we missed from last year, but that’s the hard thing about keeping fella’s after a day like today.

“You can feel like you’re a million miles away so you just have to let the dust settle and see where everybody comes back and start making plans then.”

He added: “We got the Ulster championship, we did okay, the League was decent, we were just pipped in a lot of those games, but just the last 10 days will always put a bit of a sour taste on it. We didn’t maybe go where we are capable of going but if it was easy, everybody would be at it.”

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