Kerry tactics play into Harte’s hands

MICKEY HARTE admitted yesterday that Kerry’s failure to change their forward tactics in the first-half had worked to Tyrone’s advantage, enabling their re-arranged full-back line to cope better with the perceived threat from Kieran Donaghy and Tommy Walsh and inspire their third All-Ireland triumph.

Revealing that he had decided “a few weeks ago” to move Joe McMahon from wing-forward to corner-back to curb the influence of Walsh, the Tyrone boss said he only informed the squad of his plans on Thursday.

Harte said he felt Kerry had become “a little bit of a slave” to the long, quick ball into the full-forward line since Donaghy first started to play there.