It was a tough loss for Tyrone.
After losing to Monaghan in Omagh on Sunday, Tyrone heads will now turn to the treachery of the upcoming open draw qualifiers, where they could conceivably be pitted against fellow first round losers Mayo.
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The loss of Colm Cavanagh at half-time through injury was a big blow for the Red Hand County, and though manager Mickey Harte rued his sweeper’s injury, as well as half back Tiernan McCann’s lack of match fitness, he wasn’t for making excuses when speaking to Colm Parkinson after the game.
“We knew that our men who were carrying injuries were suspect as to whether they’d last the whole game or not. We hoped that they’d be able to acquit themselves for longer than they did, but they were just struggling with the pace of the game and the fact that they’d been hadn’t been training full-on for so long,” he said to Wooly.
“They couldn’t give the best of themselves today, but that’s no fault of their own. That’s life, we have to roll up our sleeves now and try go on again down the other route.”
“Ultimately, I think the goal and a point before half-time was the winning of the game for Monaghan, despite all else that went on. That four point swing was critical.”
After Cavanagh’s withdrawal at the interval, replacement Declan McClure played in a more attacking role, but Harte actually felt the onus on going forward helped his side rather than impinged on them in the second half.
“That didn’t beat us actually. If we had conceded a goal or two, you would have said that that was a big loss, but we didn’t. We fought our way back, I think that adjustment worked well enough for us going forward.”
Harte had come in for some criticism in the build-up to this game, notably from his former loyal lieutenant Sean Cavanagh, who claimed that Harte’s “autocratic” ways, and rigid attacking system had prevented or at least stunted the development of any marquee forwards in the county.
Indeed, in the build-up to this game, the 66-year-old manager had admitted that he was exploring some system changes himself, which prompted the question as to whether external influences were impacting on his playing style.
“There’s no pressure from anywhere,” said Harte.
You have to do what you have to do. You set up a style of play that you want to work with, and if it isn’t being successful for you on any given day you have to have the ability to adapt and adjust.
“Nobody goes out with a single idea of how the game should be played and sticks to it slavishly regardless of what’s going on…If you have to adapt and adjust and you win, it’s a wonder stroke. If you adapt and you lose, then you don’t know what the answer is. It’s all variable. You play by the way you think is best for your players at your disposal, on any given day.”
As for Cavanagh’s comments, he wouldn’t be drawn too far on those.
“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion, that’s all I would say,” he laughed.
Listen to Monday’s GAA Hour Show for the full Mickey Harte interview…
