Tyrone want to be in 'challenging pack' - Harte
February 02, 2017
Tyrone manager Mickey Harte.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.
Mickey Harte says his Tyrone side are keen to prove their authenticity in Division 1.
Having been relegated from the National League's topflight in 2015, the Red Hands coasted to promotion undefeated in Division 2 last season before capturing the league title with victory over Cavan back in May.
Harte sees this season as a whole new challenge however, starting with Kevin McStay's Roscommon side in Omagh this Sunday.
"It's a challenge to go up to the highest level and play there, but I think these players are well capable of doing it," he told the Irish Examiner.
"They have played at a high level of underage Tyrone teams, they have played at a high level at college, and there's still a lot of good football played in Ulster.
"A lot of the teams that we would be playing are Ulster teams in Division 1 of the league, so you're talking about the big ones of Kerry, Dublin, and Mayo, who have been there all the time this last lot of years.
"Outside of them, there's a lot of people who feel that they can challenge each other, and we want to be in that challenging pack."
On his team's recent McKenna Cup success - their sixth in a row in the competition - Harte added: "It's certainly a good way to finish the month, but that's over now, we have that job out of the way. Two points against Roscommon is the thing that's really most important now."
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