Armagh's hectic schedule last summer didn't allow for any time to develop a "siege mentality" insists captain Ciaran McKeever.

After the fall-out from their pre-match parade altercation with Cavan, the Orchard County's management and players refused to co-operate with the media and, looking back now, McKeever told The Irish Daily Star: "I felt that after the Cavan game the media were trying to highlight every incident.

"That was the least of our worries. We were really focussed going into that game (Cavan).

"We prepared really well for it. We were in a good place. We went and did what we had to do.

"We beat Cavan and our next focus after that was Monaghan. To be honest there was no time for a siege mentality."

More bad press followed their qualifier win over Tyrone: "We got the blame for that one as well.

"I think people forget what happened at throw-in. Our two midfielders were fired to the ground but some people didn't see that.

"We won the game and that was the main thing for us. It wasn't what happened in between.

"We had a task in front of us and that was to win matches and take Armagh to the next level and that's what we wanted to do."

When the subject of 'sledging' was raised, McKeever replied: "I'm not getting drawn into that game.

"It's long in our game before I ever put on boots. Not my problem. The likes of yourselves and (Joe) Brolly promoting it."

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