Armagh All-Ireland winner Oisin McConville says Derry manager Mickey Harte will still be at the helm of the Oak Leaf county next year despite their underwhelming run of form in the championship.
Harte, who led Tyrone to three All-Ireland triumphs, guided Derry to the quarter-finals of this year’s series, in which they lost 0-15 to 0-10 to Kerry in a cagey affair at Croke Park on Sunday.
After winning Football League Division One in impressive style, Derry had been mentioned as potential Sam Maguire winners, but having been stunned by Donegal in Ulster, their All-Ireland series was a mixed bag with wins over Westmeath, and then Mayo in a penalty shootout, coming after falling to Galway and Armagh.
“When the Derry County Board went headhunting Mickey Harte and he took that job there’s no way they are going back on those thoughts right now,” said McConville on The GAA Social podcast.
“You don’t have to stick with it but that’s what they are going to do.
“To make that sort of appointment, which is controversial in the first place, there’s no way they are going to fall back on that, no chance. Mickey Harte will still be there next year, absolutely.”
