Harte praises 'maturing team' but issues complacency alert
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A third Ulster title in seven years of Mickey Harte management has triggered a sense among some of Tyrone's protagonists that complacency remains one of their biggest stumbling blocks.
They were always in command throughout this novel Ulster final against Antrim but didn't kick on like they could have, according to both the manager and his midfield dynamo Sean Cavanagh.
"We got a serious amount of possession around the back of midfield there in the second half and if we had converted all of them into scores then the game would have been over. Maybe we were overplaying the ball and taking a pass too many," admitted Harte.
Results in other games over the weekend had them on their guard, Harte admitted. "People talk about complacency and it was talked about over the weekend because a lot of favourites didn't make it, or were put under serious pressure."
"But it can raise its head again during the game if you get a good lead, complacency is never far away. It's understandable that players will think this game is in the bag. No matter how they tell themselves that it's not it comes back to bite them from time."
Cavanagh still harbours fears that the team has not been tested enough in Ulster. "We had that bit of an edge in experience and maybe when we went five or six up, the complacency factor did kick in. Maybe there was a bit of ring rust there from being four weeks off and it wasn't good for us. We know what we have to do. It is mission accomplished so far.
"We are in an All-Ireland quarter-final and we wanted to go through the front door. We haven't broken any records or ripped up any record books on the way to getting there.
"We probably haven't been really in the white heat of a championship game where it has been ebbing and flowing. But you also have to be aware that there are bigger fish to fry and the real football only starts now."
Harte acknowledged that his team is nearing their peak of maturity that helps them to judge the ebb and flow of a game so well.
abundance
"I would say it is a maturing team all the while and that's the important thing. We're moving on, we're trying to discover new things about ourselves, the players are blending together in different ways and we have that versatility that a lot of teams would like to have. We have that in abundance."
For Antrim manager Liam Bradley, the goal was crushing, something he thought they would guard against better. But the season still offers hope, even if the tag of 'gallant losers' isn't one he desired.
"That's not what I am about," said Bradley. "We came here today to win. On the day we weren't good enough. We have to hold our hands up and say that the best team won the Anglo Celt Cup. But so far we have had a good season. We will keep working and we will get to play in Croke Park. That's what this team wants."
- Colm Keys
