Mickey Harte: His Derry stint unravelled fast after much early promise. Photo: Sportsfile
A March Sunday and all is right in Derry’s world. They sit as newly crowned league champions thanks to a penalty shoot-out win over Dublin in Croke Park.
Derry could and should have gotten the job done before it ever went to spot-kicks but this still felt like a statement win that underscored a most productive first four months under Mickey Harte. Before he took the role, the general consensus was that of all the main contenders, Derry’s squad needed most buttressing. Harte cast the net wide, and by the time Mathew Downey came off the bench against Roscommon in Celtic Park, 37 Derry players had seen McKenna Cup or league action.
