Experience vital – Harte

THERE may have been a school of thought that Tyrone had enjoyed an untroubled ride through the Ulster Championship, but when the stage was shifted to Croke Park yesterday, the Red Hands men were put through an exacting ordeal.

Kildare were strong-willed and determined in this All-Ireland quarter-final and not until referee Gearóid O Conamha had blasted the last whistle, did Mickey Harte feel he could relax.

“Relief is the main emotion. It’s a great reflection on what these players are about. It would have been easy to roll over there today. It would have been to decide that maybe this year wasn’t for us. But it is still for us. Kildare asked serious questions of us. The story going into this game was had we been tested? I think after today that question can be removed. We were certainly tested and full credit to Kildare for that.”