Advertisement
©INPHO/Presseye/William Cherry
Master v Apprentice

McKenna Cup: Harte and Canavan to do it all again this weekend

Peter Canavan is ‘still learning tricks of the trade’ but will get another shot at Mickey Harte on Sunday

PETER CANAVAN ADMITS he is still ‘getting used to’ management and the idea of trying to undermine his home county and indeed, players who double as his neighbours.

The Dr McKenna Cup is normally a mere extension of a county team’s deep winter training. Last night however, the crowd was made up of more than just hardcore supporters, keen to get the inside track ahead of the league campaign.

Just under 7,000 people made their way to Omagh’s Healy park to see the return of the king, Peter Canavan, leading a side in green rather than the more familiar red hand.

“It takes a bit of getting used to,” Canavan told RTE’s Brian Carthy after the game, ”pitting your wits against the likes of your own club men and Mickey (Harte) on the sideline, who I’ve been with for so long too takes a bit of getting used to. But it’s a new experience for me, and I’m still learning the tricks of the trade.”

As a team, Tyrone paid Canavan’s side little respect especially in the first half where they streaked to a commanding half-time lead of ten points to one.

Fermanagh, though, would not be cowed so easily. They reeled in their hosts through a goal from Sean Quigley and five points from his older brother Seamus. Eventually the gap was narrowed to just three in the end; 0-13 to 1-7, the final scoreline.

After a year marked by infighting, Fermanagh suffered the most ignominious exit from the 2011 Championship by losing to London. Canavan told RTE Radio that his main focus was on uniting his squad and increasing the Ernesiders confidence:

“A lot of players are very sore about what happened last year and that’s going to take time before relationships are solidified. But gradually we’re inching our way towards it and we’re starting to gel as a team.

“The like of tonight coming from a nine points deficit to within two points will help morale and bring them on another bit and its a case of them re-establishing themslevs and gaining that self belief thats badly needed to win things. but i think we’re going in the right direction”

Canavan freely admitted the odd feeling of going head to head Harte, his old boss, but stressed that their personal relationship would not be affected by events on the field.

“I’ve been chatting with him (Harte) a few times - I’ve a lot of respect for Mickey after what we’ve come through and regardless of what happens in management, my opinion of him as a person and a manager will not change.”

The combination of results last night mean that the master and the apprentice will face off a second time this coming Sunday when the competition’s semi-finals are played as a double header in Armagh.

The YouTube top 10: because you’re the best around, no-one’s ever gonna keep you down
Australian Open leading the way online