Cavan manager Terry Hyland reckoned yesterday's Allianz FL Division 2 final against Tyrone resembled a tennis match at times.

Hyland's charges finished on the wrong end of the 1-17 to 0-15 scoreline as they struggled to break down the well-oiled Red Hand defensive system.

"It was a bit like tennis in one sense, whoever was serving - when we had the ball Tyrone were dropping back, and vice-versa," the Breffni boss remarked to The Irish Independent.

"The pattern of the game caused that more than anything else. I think that maybe we didn't push enough up when they dropped back and maybe we did that more in the second half.

"That's probably been their game plan for a long number of years, they haven't changed it for seven, eight, nine years so they're probably more adept at doing that and their players are more used to coming into the system.

"From a positive point of view we had a lot of young players out there today, their first time at Croke Park and I thought some of them acquitted themselves quite well."

The Breffni County's focus now turns to their Ulster SFC date with Armagh at Kingspan Breffni Park on May 29.

"Armagh will be different, Armagh had a good finish to their league, they were probably unfortunate to be relegated, but they took something out of the last three league games.

"I know we had a bit of a run away against them (in the league) but I don't think that's going to happen the next time."

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