Young Guns Setting The Pace And Leading By Example.

Monday 05.03.2012

Club

While Peter Harte continues to receive the plaudits for his performances for Tyrone he would be the first to acknowledge the role played by his team mates that allows him the freedom to perform like he has done recently. No one would deny that the young Errigal ace has been simply outstanding in both defence and attack for his county and his province so far this year but his performances are much more than “gung-ho” sorties forward in search of scores.
Continental and Latin American soccer teams affectionately use the term “libero” to define great players and their contribution to their team. This player is generally given a free forward type role and plays in no particular position but tends to pop up everywhere as an outlet for a pass. He is not only a creative player with an eye for the exquisite killer ball but he can also finish a move with deadly accuracy and perfect timing. They pay him the ultimate compliment of giving him the number 10 jersey, the perfect number for the perfect player so to speak.
In Peter Harte’s case it is the number six he currently wears but such is his role in the Tyrone team that like the libero he is almost impossible to define in terms of position. He is as creative as a good number eleven, as hard working as a ten or twelve and as good a finisher as a fourteen. However his contribution does not finish there. He tackles like a corner back but breaks with the pace and panache of an exceptional wing back turning defence into attack with increasing regularity. He has played a central role in many of Tyrone’s scores in their opening three league games and has even hit the net himself on a number of occasions with surging forward runs and perfect timing.
Against Louth he was almost unstoppable coming from deep and just off the shoulder of the man in possession. Such expressive football is built on serious fitness, hard work and a high level of trust among team mates. Young Harte knows if he makes a run he can depend on Ronan Mc Nabb, Matthew Donnelly or Joe Mc Mahon to fill the gap and look after the defensive duties when he pushes forward. Both Mc Nabb and Donnelly look very comfortable playing this deeper role for their team and both know their colleague’s style of play well having come through the youth set up together. The young guns are enjoying their current run on the team and seem intent on making the most of the chance that the manager is giving them. Peter Harte has set the standard in terms of performance not only for the younger players but for the more experienced as well. The bar has been raised but that is no bad thing and with the likes of Mc Nabb, Donnelly and Ronan O’Neill keen to respond to the challenge this could well be an interesting year for Tyrone GAA followers.