Harte thrilled as Red Hands finally end eight-year Kerry jinx
TYRONE: N Morgan 0-1f; C McCarron, R McNamee, A McCrory; R McNabb, F Burns, R Brennan; C McCann 0-1, D McClure 1-1; M Donnelly 0-1, P Harte, K McGeary 0-1; L Brennan 0-5, 4f, C McShane 0-3, R O’Neill 0-3f
Subs: D Mulgrew for McGeary (53), C Meyler for McCann (55), P Hampsey for McCrory (58 - 63 - Blood sub), C McAliskey for Meyler (62), M McKernan for Hampsey (63), B McDonnell for O’Neill (68), B Burns for F Burns (70)
Yellow cards: F Burns (43), McShane (56) Black cards: 0
Red cards: 0
KERRY: B Kelly; B O’Beaglaoich, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; C Coffey 0-1, M Graffin, M Geaney 0-1; J Barry, D Moran; M Burns 0-1, D Casey 0-1, K McCarthy; K Spillane 0-5f, J Buckley 0-2, S O’Brien 0-2
Subs: E O’Conchuir for Burns, T Morley for Geaney (both half-time), B O’Sullivan for Casey (58), M Flaherty 0-1 for Buckley (67), G Horan for Moran (67)
Yellow cards: Coffey (29), Griffin (35) Black cards: 0
Red cards: 0
Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois) Attendance: 6,115
THERE might not have been much in it with league survival assured for both and no chance of reaching a league final, but Mickey Harte was quick to note that it had been said to him with regularity that Tyrone had not beaten Kerry in a long number of years before this encounter.
Eight years in fact, when a repeated failure of Kerry’s to clear the ball over the lines and finish the game — as per the rule of the 2010 season, let Colm Cavanagh nab a last-second goal in a Saturday night tussle.
There are few survivors from that game on either side, but still if there is a marker to lay down, Tyrone wouldn’t shy away from it. This win puts a gloss on a season that was looking rough after they lost three of their opening four games to Galway, Dublin and Monaghan.
It also gives them a handsome looking tally of 5-43 from the last three games against Donegal, Mayo and Kerry.
And still, the narrative will hardly alter from Tyrone being labelled overly-defensive.
“I suppose it was a bit of role-reversal from last year when we started strong and finished poorly. I suppose that’s not a bad thing to be able to turn it around. After four games we only had two points and it was dicey looking,” acknowledged Harte after Declan McClure’s second half goal three minutes from time opened up a seven points gap that rewarded Tyrone for their industry and punished a Kerry side that shorn of so many nailed-on Championship starters, went 26 minutes without registering a score in the second half.
Harte continued: “The Donegal win was so important, Mayo were excellent and I suppose a lot of people were telling us it was a long time since we beat Kerry and I suppose it is nice to put the record straight any day of the week. I am very pleased with the outcome.”
His opposite number, Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice, had the look of a man who was free from all the cares of the world afterwards, but wasn’t sparing the rod when he stated: “We got the first point of the second half but then we were a bit rudderless at times and I think Tyrone played very well. We were a bit lucky not to be beaten by more, to be honest.
“There is plenty there for us to be working on.”
They have the time and the talent. Of the successful minor teams of recent years, Jason Foley has emerged as a fine full back and limited Lee Brennan to one point from play while Tom