Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HEIR TO THE TYRONE
GIVEN his football lineage and unquestioned ability, Peter Harte was destined to play in an All-ireland senior final for Tyrone.
At 13 years of age he watched his uncle Mickey and cousin Mark bring Sam Maguire to the county for the first time in 2003 and again in 2005.
By that stage another cousin, Davy, had joined the squad who was also involved when they won a third Allireland three years later.
That same year Peter was part of the Tyrone Allireland minor-winning side, which began his long 10-year journey towards a first senior appearance this Sunday against four-in-a-row chasing Dublin. It could have been difficult joining the squad at 20 years of age in 2010, given his relationship to the boss but not so, he says.
“Ah, I thought it was kind of easy because there was just so much quality around.
“I was like a fan basically coming in, because my first night training I was kicking the ball to Brian Mcguigan and Stephen O’neill and it was a dream.
“You’re just in absolute awe, these are the boys you’ve watched the last 10 years.
These are just your heroes. So it was class to come in.
“You just have to have trust in yourself. And, I’m happy if Mickey thinks I’m good enough.”
Throw in the fact Harte is now engaged to Tyrone legend Peter Canavan’s daughter, Aine, and he’s not short on family advice, if he wants it.
Asked how much wisdom the six-time All-star and 2003 All-ireland winning captain gives him, Harte smiled: “Bits and pieces.
“As a child he was just a hero to anyone who grew up close to here. Now
he’d have the odd bit of advice for you, but he leaves most of it to Mickey and Horse (Gavin Devlin) and how they want you to play.”
Although Tyrone won an Ulster title in his first season in the squad in 2010, Harte’s early years were during a period of Tyrone transition.
He lasted just six minutes of his first All-ireland semi-final in 2013 after a crunching hit by Mayo’s Tom Cunniffe (inset) and further disappointment followed in 2015 and 2017 before finally getting over the line against Monaghan three weeks ago.
The back-to-back Ulster titles in 2016 and 2017 have also been a pathway towards this first appearance in a decider since 2008.
And despite last year’s 12point hammering by the Dubs in the All-ireland semi-final, don’t expect Tyrone to throw in a curve ball on Sunday.
“It’s probably more tweaking than going leftfield because if you haven’t tried something and you go and try something, if it blows up in your face you look very silly.
“We haven’t changed the way we play, much, in the last three-four years. So, I just can’t see us throwing that out the window.”