System an ‘absolute disgrace’ blasts Harte

TYRONE boss Mickey Harte slammed the “flawed” championship system as an “absolute disgrace” after his side’s shock defeat to Dublin.

While emphasising that he was not detracting from the Dubs’ success – which he attributed to their workrate and superior economy in attack – Harte is adamant that provincial champions are at a serious disadvantage against teams that had learned from defeat and progressed through the qualifiers. Indeed he noted that the backdoor route had served his own teams well in the past en route to All-Ireland glory.

Tyrone experienced the other side of the coin on this occasion and Harte wondered why change had not occurred before now, given the frequency with which provincial winners are overturned in quarter-finals. “It makes me question the system, which I’ve said a number of times,” Harte asserted.