MICKEY Harte has dismissed fears that the fall-out from a controversial All-Ireland U21 final will mar Saturday’s Qualifier tie between Tipperary and Tyrone.
Harte doesn’t buy into the discourse which has suggested that the Semple Stadium clash will be a grudge match.
Tyrone were accused of cynicism following their narrow win in the U21 decider at Parnell Park back in May, when the Red Hand management were refused entry to the Tipperary dressing room in the aftermath of the game.
But senior boss Harte believes the controversy was blown out of proportion by the media.
“I think that was much exaggerated, as often happens in the media,” he said.
“I didn’t think it was such an affair as it was portrayed to be and I don’t think many of the people closely involved with the team felt that either.
“So I think it was a bit of a down time in media circles and they needed something to speak about and it fitted the bill. I don’t think it was actually as it appeared to be.”
Several of the players from both sides who played in the U21 final will be involved this weekend.
A third of the Tipperary team is likely to be made up of U21 players.
Colin O’Riordan, Kevin O’Halloran, Evan Comerford, Jimmy Feehan and Liam Casey all started the comfortable win over Louth in the last round and are set to face the Red Hands as well.
Steven O’Brien would also be in the Premier county’s starting fifteen but for injury.
Rory Brennan and Mark Bradley both started for Tyrone against Meath while Cathal McShane came on as a sub.
Other U21 players in the Red Hand squad are Sean Fox, Lee Brennan and Conor Meyler. Brennan and Meyler have yet to make their senior debuts.
Harte has warned that Tipperary is much more than just a hurling county, and that recent successes at under-age level demonstrate the progress Tipp football is making.
The winners of this weekend’s eliminator will meet one of the beaten finalists from the Munster and Connnacht finals, in which Kerry face Cork in a replay and Mayo take on Sligo.
