A FAMILIAR sight, one that had been off the horizon for what seemed longer than it was, came back into view yesterday.
Clones came alive to the sight and sound of Tyrone rejoicing on Ulster final Sunday.
Mickey Harte was back in the old market town doing what he does best.
Wearing the look of a college professor who’d seen it all, Harte, ever the believer, remained calm when the final was plunged to the melting pot.
It was his 79th Championship game as the Tyrone manager and it ended with the Anglo Celt Cup above his head for the fifth time.
The longing for this one made the taste the sweetest of all, though. Six years since their last triumph, Tyrone were back as kings of the province.
“Absolutely the best,” Harte grinned.
“This is the best of all of them because of the famine that was there for six years and because of what had gone before when maybe Ulster titles were taken for granted , maybe not enough joy put into winning them.
“This is different, the whole county was waiting on this. The fact that it was Donegal in the final made an issue of it as well.
“We got back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010 and nobody cared a jot. Now, you see what it means to them to win today.
“This is a real reality check for people. These Ulster titles are important and they don’t come around easy.”
Sean Cavanagh led and pointed the way for Tyrone. The 34-year-old Moy man foraged hard in the second half and scored one of three sumptuous late points that angled the pendulum their way.
“That’s why he is the player he is,” Harte said of Cavanagh, his captain.
“That’s why he is recognised as such a great player around the country, the man he is.
[adrotate group=”53”]“He is a leader. He has been there and done it since he was 19 years of age and I am just so delighted that he is lifting this Anglo-Celt Cup, because nobody deserves it more.”
Cavanagh, Peter Harte and Kieran McGeary popped the champagne corks in the O’Neill county as this new Tyrone – Harte’s latest revamp of the squad – came of age.
“We would still have been a team of character even if we’d lost that game,” the Tyrone manager said.
“I don’t want to hang everything on the outcome or the result. Donegal had a wonderful performance and showed plenty of character.
[adrotate group=”46″]Just because we got the rub of the green for the result doesn’t make us far superior to anyone else.
Perhaps most satisfying of all for Harte was that his team has now put questions to bed about their capabilities. Harte delivered Sam Maguire in 2003, 2005 and 2008 and the possibilities now are quite clear.
A man of deep faith, Harte is optimistic for what lies ahead.
He said: “People can’t say now that these men haven’t won an Ulster medal. They have now. That gives them a status and gives them confidence.
“It means they’re a maturing side with silverware to show. It’s only the start of a journey. I do believe that there is serious potential in this team.”
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