Mickey Harte has claimed Sean Cavanagh was provoked into getting sent off against Mayo.

The Tyrone captain was dismissed on a second yellow card with 10 minutes to go as the Ulster champions suffered a surprise defeat to the revitalised Westerners.

Cavanagh - in what may well be his final game at Croke Park - picked up a second yellow for a high challenge on Aidan O'Shea, but Harte felt more aggrieved about his first yellow before the start of the second half, claiming he was dragged into a 'wrestling match' with Mayo match winner Lee Keegan.

"It's unfortunate that it happened but I know this for sure - I know Sean Cavanagh doesn't go looking for yellow cards," the Tyrone manager told the Irish Times.

"He never did in his whole career. It seems a shame he is the victim of somebody else enticing him into that kind of arena. He doesn't go looking for anything. That's for sure. And I can say that with 100 per cent and have no fear of contradiction. He never went looking for a black card in his life or a yellow card in his life."

"It seems a shame that a man at this stage of career, who has given so much to our games, should fall victim to that kind of stuff."

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