Paul Grimley has stepped down as Armagh manager after the Orchard County's All-Ireland football quarter-final defeat to Donegal.

Former Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney, an All-Ireland winning captain with Armagh in 2002, is the hot favourite to take over, not least because Grimley publicly backed him after the one-point defeat on Saturday when he hinted his time was up.

“Paul Grimley, Armagh senior football manager, has tendered his resignation to the management committee of Armagh County Board,” a county board statement read today. “Paul strenuously argued that it was the right thing to do as he had stressed on his appointment two years ago that he would embark on a development process and that he thought that the process was ready to progress to another level.

“The management committee of Armagh county board wish to acknowledge the contribution of Paul, in terms of his energy, commitment, loyalty, vision and selflessness, to Armagh. Paul Grimley is big in stature and gargantuan in his commitment to Armagh. On behalf of everyone involved in Armagh we extend a hearty thank you to Paul and wish him well.”

McGeeney is curently a selector with Armagh but Grimley was unequivocal last weekend when asked who was the right man to lead the county forward.

“There’s no better man to lead Armagh forward than Kieran McGeeney, whether that is the case or not is irrelevant at the moment,” he said.