Sport

Nothing wrong with Dublin playing at Croke Park: Mickey Harte

Mickey Harte loves any chance Tyrone get to play at Croke Park
Mickey Harte loves any chance Tyrone get to play at Croke Park Mickey Harte loves any chance Tyrone get to play at Croke Park

TYRONE boss Mickey Harte says he has no hang-ups over Dublin playing two Super 8 games at Croke Park after Donegal’s motion to move them out of headquarters for one of those round robin games was defeated at Congress last weekend.

Donegal’s motion received a paltry 36 per cent support despite many people on the outside agreeing with the thrust of their challenge at Congress.

GAA pundit Tomas O Se said: “I think Donegal were completely legitimate and I thought it was a fair motion to bring and it’s a fair question to ask: why should a team have two games at home [out of three]?”

Dublin secretary John Costello argued vehemently against the Donegal motion on the basis that a 8,500-capacity Parnell Park simply did not meet the needs of supporters wanting to see the games.

Harte, whose Tyrone side hosted Dublin at Healy Park during the inaugural Super 8 series last summer, has been consistent on the All-Ireland champions’ perceived advantage come the last eight stages of the All-Ireland series and has no qualms with them declaring Croke Park as their home venue.

“I don’t think it matters where Dublin play because they play so well,” said Harte.

“I don’t think them having the home games in Croke Park adds anything to them. I think they’ve enough going for them and they play well enough and they would travel anywhere.

“People like to play in Croke Park. I wouldn’t mind playing at Croke Park because it’s a lovely place to play.”