Harte plotting for ‘offensive’ Donegal

THEY may have perfected the art of the massed defence, but Tyrone boss Mickey Harte expects Donegal to leap from beneath the blanket and take the game to the Ulster champions this weekend.

The Tir Chonaill men have adopted a cautious, protective strategy in their games to date but succeeded in suffocating the challenges of Antrim and Cavan to reach Sunday’s provincial semi-final.

Harte is preparing for a more offensive approach from Jim McGuinness and his side, however, at Clones.

“So they can defend and they can move forward and they can get scores when they need them.

“There’s no point in being defensive if you can’t score. So you need to be able to defend and they do defend in numbers.

“But that’s no good if you sit back and try to win a game by seven points to six of something,” said Harte.

While new manager McGuinness has built his game plan around a secure defensive system, fortified by extra bodies channelling back from midfield and half-forwards, the Allianz League Division Two champions have also blossomed as an attacking force.

Despite losing full-forward and captain Michael Murphy in the early stages to a straight red card — since rescinded — they chalked up a big scoreline against Cavan.

“It was 2-14 they scored. If that’s defensive, I’d take that any day,” said Harte. “They have still been getting good scores, despite the fact that they have been labelled as a defensive side.

“So they have a good mix. They know how to defend, they know how to defend in numbers, and they can break forward at pace and they have got people who can finish. Any team that has people who can finish are always people who are dangerous.”

Harte, the master tactician who has guided the Red Hands to three All-Ireland titles, is clearly fascinated and consumed by the challenge of decoding and dismantling the McGuinness system.

The fact that he admits to unqualified admiration for the strategy devised and successfully implemented by the Donegal manager will heighten the pleasure of victory, should Tyrone come out on top at the end of Sunday’s enticing battle at St Tiernach’s Park.

Harte added: “You couldn’t not be impressed with it. They have won Division Two of the league. I think there were some decent teams in that division and they managed to come out on top.

“And they have put two championship victories along with that. So they have built on the success they have had in the league, they have worked their way into a semi-final and they seem to have a good method of play.

“They have a good mix of younger players from the U21 side, and even younger, and a lot of experience as well.”

And Harte believes the Donegal players will approach Sunday’s game with enhanced vigour and appetite because they have a particular fondness for playing Tyrone.

“I know that Donegal generally play well against Tyrone, they often be quite happy to meet Tyrone. I have heard managers in the past say that, they like meeting Tyrone, so they won’t be too concerned about this game.”

“But I don’t think you can read too much about past history. This is about a new year, this is about a new game and Donegal have a new management set-up. They have a new belief in themselves, and they seem to be working on a system of play that works for the players they have at their disposal at the minute.

“Their players believe in that system, they believe in their management set-up, and that’s always useful in any team.”