Mulligan and McCurry fire Tyrone

They had nearly finished sweeping the stand in preparation for the Connacht final the following day when Mickey Harte went off to the dressing rooms on Saturday night, the last man to leave the pitch, alone with his thoughts as he headed down to the changing facilities at Hyde Park.

The insignificance of sport could never be more clearly illustrated than by what that man and his family have had to go through in the past 18 months. But, equally, the value of the distraction of football has never been more priceless.

His community and Tyrone football has rallied around him and Harte has responded by giving it his all. Every newsman from here to Mauritius wanted to get a reaction and Harte was still speaking to the media an hour after the game. Talking sport, and nothing else.