HANGING his players out to dry literally would have helped them at a sodden Ballybofey but Mickey Harte didn't do so metaphorically, instead praising their efforts in difficult conditions against Donegal.
However, he did criticise as "criminal" the back-chat to referee Joe McQuillan which led to a couple of frees being moved up – and converted by Ciaran Thompson – in the two-point Ulster SFC quarter-final loss on Sunday:
"That's not acceptable, that shouldn't happen - doesn't always happen, mind you, we didn't get too many moved on, but anyway, that's the luck of the draw. But you shouldn't be giving easy opportunities to people from difficult ones. That's criminal in a game as tight as this.
"I'd be disappointed at that, but that's the only thing I'd be disappointed with, I wouldn't be disappointed one bit with the way our players played, with the effort we put in.
"We created enough to win the game and we didn't do it. That's life and ultimately it's all about results – and we haven't got the result."
The Red Hands could have forced extra time if they'd taken some late scoring opportunities, but shots were either not taken or sent askew. However, Harte insisted his team were doing what they could in testing conditions:
"Players make decisions under pressure and they think they're making the right decision at that time. If it goes over the bar we'd all agree it was the right decision – if it doesn't then we'd be disappointed about it and we'd say it should have been different. But players are doing their best and making the choice they think is right at that time.
"All these things will be forensically investigated but the end result is that this is a knockout game and the odds were against us all the way, and we almost pulled it off. That's something to be consoled by to some degree, but not much when you know that's Championship '20 over and another season gone."
Harte did suggest that the exceptional nature of this year's enforced return to the traditional format should have brought further changes: "Since it became a knock-out Championship there may have been a case for re-drawing it, or at least have a neutral venue. It's a tough draw in any case, but when you haven't got a 'back door' that makes it tougher."
