Cathal McCarron has recalled how a visit from Mickey Harte while he was in rehab helped him to overcome his gambling addiction.

In his autobiography Out of Control, which will be released next week, the Tyrone corner back tells the story of Harte coming to visit him at the Cuan Mhuire rehabilitation centre in Co. Galway in 2009. The Tyrone manager brought the All-Ireland medal which McCarron won the previous year with him as the Dromore man had been unable to attend the winners' banquet due to his gambling problems.

"Cuan Mhuire didn't allow visitors midweek, but they weren't going to turn Mickey Harte away," he wrote.

"Mickey is a special person. I got a warm feeling as we started chatting. I asked him if the door with Tyrone was still open for me. 'It had never been closed Cathal', was his reply.

"We spoke about life, about my recovery, about how Mickey wanted to play a part in that recovery. He knew football was my life. 'If you focus on life, and on living life well, just think of all the possibilities out there', Mickey said.

"'Look at the football you were playing, with all that hell in your life. Imagine, just imagine, what you really could do if you got all of this sorted out'."

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