Niall Grimley says promotion from Division 3 of the National League must be the top priority for Armagh in 2018.

Speaking to The Irish News after picking up the Ulster GAA Writers' Merit Award for July, the Orchard midfielder stated that the recent 18-point All-Ireland SFC quarter-final defeat to Tyrone did not indicate where Kieran McGeeney's charges are currently at as a team.

"Our performance against Tyrone this month was not a true reflection of our capabilities," said Grimley. "We are much better than that but they have been mixing with the top teams and that's where we want to be.

"We have got to learn from the lessons of this year. A number of young players have come into the Armagh panel and are blending in with the more experienced players so that combination has to be cemented.

"Our first aim next season must be to get out of Division Three and take a step up among some of the top teams in the country.

"I believe we are very capable of that. Playing against the best is where you learn. You need to be playing against the big boys to gain experience.

"Looking at the Tyrone game, we have got to get better and smarter and we can only do that by playing against the best. We have got a good bunch of players in the camp so promotion in the league must be our first aim. That is the only way we will progress."

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