WHILE MOST WOULD be able to point out Mickey Harte’s exceptional record in the Dr McKenna Cup, it’s less well-heralded how he impacts teams in his first year of league action.
When he took over Tyrone in time for the 2003 season, he successfully defended their very first league from the year before.
By the time that all ended, he was scooped up by Louth in time for 2021. That league was interrupted and worked into a series of smaller groups with a north/south divide to limit travelling in a time of Covid.
Nevertheless, Louth were promoted out of Division 4 North.
Onto the next gig: Derry. He started it like a train, with a win over Kerry in Tralee, not something that happens every day.
Whatever about how the summer panned out, they did go on to capture that league final against Dublin in very impressive style.
Therefore, it’s not surprising to see that his latest project, married into old Offaly money now with Declan Kelly as a co-management team, has started with three consecutive wins.
Last Sunday, they had 16 points to spare against Antrim, five away to Laois the game before, seven in the season opener to Sligo.
They take their unblemished record up north this weekend to face Fermanagh in Brewster Park.
There are hardly any secrets left in this game, but at that game, Harte will be reunited with Ronan O’Neill, his former Tyrone forward who is a coach and selector with the Erne county.
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Manager Kieran Donnelly has also spent a couple of seasons coaching Harte’s club Errigal Ciaran, under Peter Canavan’s management.
Asked how it’s working out for Offaly with having Harte around the place – surely the most left-field appointment of the close-season – and The Faithful’s Cormac Egan couldn’t be happier.
“I think it’s blending really nicely so far,” he told The 42.
“I think the two boys have similar beliefs and they carry the same messages. So, it’s worked really well and the guys they have put around them are top quality as well. It’s a real professional set-up and I am enjoying it so far.”
A word on Harte. He’s beyond his 70th birthday. When his spell as Tyrone manager came to an end, he gave a couple of interviews and made it clear he wasn’t quite the age that was widely reported back then.
Blame Wikipedia. Either way he was letting it be known he wasn’t done yet. He’s still here, four years later. Four years in which he achieved promotion from Division 4 and a Division 3 title for Louth, with a third-placed finish in Division 2 behind Derry and Dublin in 2023.
Mickey Harte with his Offaly co-manager, Declan Kelly. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
All that, before a Division 1 title with Derry last year. You’d nearly take him from granted.
What is it that has stood out for Egan?
“I guess it’s the energy he brings. He brings so much energy to the place – positive energy,” says Egan.
And a constant yearning to get better, to improve on. There are learnings in everything, every single day you go out on the field you see if you can find a learning.
“He’s brought so much about the place and it has worked so well so far, himself and Declan.”
During the week, Egan was on media duties for the Dalata Hotel Group, the new sponsors for the All-Ireland U20 championship.
As a final year student in UCD, beaten in the recent Sigerson final to city rivals DCU, Egan has been studying Economics and Finance. He did a year on-site with the hotel group and is joining them now for full employment.
The bit of promotion work he did put him in mind of the craziness of the period where GAA commitments weigh heavily on young men and women who are making their way in the world, and yet playing for several teams at once.
“I’d say last year, between senior and underage hurling and football I think it was six teams,” he says.
“It’s one of these things that you don’t have too much time to think about it really, it’s straight onto the next game.
“It’s a case of managing the body and making sure you don’t get injured. But I find it grand.”
Cormac Egan in action for Offaly. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
There have been accusations that Egan, with his all-out eye-catching style, hasn’t been minded properly with so many different teams requiring his talents.
Something had to give in the tug-of-love, and it was his hamstring that decimated his 2022 and required a trip to London for surgery. He is glad he had the foresight to get the surgery, which he describes as a ‘reset.’ It did him no harm as he managed to win a county title last year with Tullamore.
Egan is among the first generations to enjoy a more aligned approach from Offaly. The ‘Faithful Fields’ project has established a strong identity and the leadership of Michael Duignan has been hailed as a huge success. Positivity is high in the midland county.
“I think there was so much work that went in. Even the bit of underage success we have had over the last few years, so many people put so much work in,” says Egan.
James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
“And then obviously Michael (Duignan) finished up at the end of last year. His term was over and he had such an impact on driving Offaly in the right direction.
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“We know we wouldn’t be having any kind of success on the field without all of that and the thinking and work they put in. The Faithful Fields is a massive part of that. We were going training from we were 12, 13 and we were in a different place every week.
“To have a home base for Offaly GAA is really comforting.”
With the small ball code also still riding the waves of the successful U20 team, Egan believes he would not rule out hurling for his county.
“I guess I never would write it off. I am fully focussed on football at the minute, but down the line, if I am hurling with the club at a decent standard and they wanted me in, it’s something I’d definitely want to do,” he says.
“I hurled at U20 level and I don’t want it to be the last time I pick up my hurl for Offaly.
“I’m with the footballers at the moment, that’s where my attention is. And when that ends, I go back with the club and try to play both. Try to give as much as I can to the footballers and the hurlers.”
However, whatever way he tries it, it will not be as a dual player.
“I think, unfortunately, the days of that are over,” Egan says.
“It’s really tricky. Games are on similar days now and you would be asking too much, of your own body and the people around you.”
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'He brings so much energy to the place' - Cormac Egan on Mickey Harte impact with Offaly
WHILE MOST WOULD be able to point out Mickey Harte’s exceptional record in the Dr McKenna Cup, it’s less well-heralded how he impacts teams in his first year of league action.
When he took over Tyrone in time for the 2003 season, he successfully defended their very first league from the year before.
By the time that all ended, he was scooped up by Louth in time for 2021. That league was interrupted and worked into a series of smaller groups with a north/south divide to limit travelling in a time of Covid.
Nevertheless, Louth were promoted out of Division 4 North.
Onto the next gig: Derry. He started it like a train, with a win over Kerry in Tralee, not something that happens every day.
Whatever about how the summer panned out, they did go on to capture that league final against Dublin in very impressive style.
Therefore, it’s not surprising to see that his latest project, married into old Offaly money now with Declan Kelly as a co-management team, has started with three consecutive wins.
Last Sunday, they had 16 points to spare against Antrim, five away to Laois the game before, seven in the season opener to Sligo.
They take their unblemished record up north this weekend to face Fermanagh in Brewster Park.
There are hardly any secrets left in this game, but at that game, Harte will be reunited with Ronan O’Neill, his former Tyrone forward who is a coach and selector with the Erne county.
Manager Kieran Donnelly has also spent a couple of seasons coaching Harte’s club Errigal Ciaran, under Peter Canavan’s management.
Asked how it’s working out for Offaly with having Harte around the place – surely the most left-field appointment of the close-season – and The Faithful’s Cormac Egan couldn’t be happier.
“I think it’s blending really nicely so far,” he told The 42.
“I think the two boys have similar beliefs and they carry the same messages. So, it’s worked really well and the guys they have put around them are top quality as well. It’s a real professional set-up and I am enjoying it so far.”
A word on Harte. He’s beyond his 70th birthday. When his spell as Tyrone manager came to an end, he gave a couple of interviews and made it clear he wasn’t quite the age that was widely reported back then.
Blame Wikipedia. Either way he was letting it be known he wasn’t done yet. He’s still here, four years later. Four years in which he achieved promotion from Division 4 and a Division 3 title for Louth, with a third-placed finish in Division 2 behind Derry and Dublin in 2023.
All that, before a Division 1 title with Derry last year. You’d nearly take him from granted.
What is it that has stood out for Egan?
“I guess it’s the energy he brings. He brings so much energy to the place – positive energy,” says Egan.
“He’s brought so much about the place and it has worked so well so far, himself and Declan.”
During the week, Egan was on media duties for the Dalata Hotel Group, the new sponsors for the All-Ireland U20 championship.
As a final year student in UCD, beaten in the recent Sigerson final to city rivals DCU, Egan has been studying Economics and Finance. He did a year on-site with the hotel group and is joining them now for full employment.
The bit of promotion work he did put him in mind of the craziness of the period where GAA commitments weigh heavily on young men and women who are making their way in the world, and yet playing for several teams at once.
“I’d say last year, between senior and underage hurling and football I think it was six teams,” he says.
“It’s one of these things that you don’t have too much time to think about it really, it’s straight onto the next game.
“It’s a case of managing the body and making sure you don’t get injured. But I find it grand.”
There have been accusations that Egan, with his all-out eye-catching style, hasn’t been minded properly with so many different teams requiring his talents.
Something had to give in the tug-of-love, and it was his hamstring that decimated his 2022 and required a trip to London for surgery. He is glad he had the foresight to get the surgery, which he describes as a ‘reset.’ It did him no harm as he managed to win a county title last year with Tullamore.
Egan is among the first generations to enjoy a more aligned approach from Offaly. The ‘Faithful Fields’ project has established a strong identity and the leadership of Michael Duignan has been hailed as a huge success. Positivity is high in the midland county.
“I think there was so much work that went in. Even the bit of underage success we have had over the last few years, so many people put so much work in,” says Egan.
“And then obviously Michael (Duignan) finished up at the end of last year. His term was over and he had such an impact on driving Offaly in the right direction.
“We know we wouldn’t be having any kind of success on the field without all of that and the thinking and work they put in. The Faithful Fields is a massive part of that. We were going training from we were 12, 13 and we were in a different place every week.
“To have a home base for Offaly GAA is really comforting.”
With the small ball code also still riding the waves of the successful U20 team, Egan believes he would not rule out hurling for his county.
“I guess I never would write it off. I am fully focussed on football at the minute, but down the line, if I am hurling with the club at a decent standard and they wanted me in, it’s something I’d definitely want to do,” he says.
“I hurled at U20 level and I don’t want it to be the last time I pick up my hurl for Offaly.
“I’m with the footballers at the moment, that’s where my attention is. And when that ends, I go back with the club and try to play both. Try to give as much as I can to the footballers and the hurlers.”
However, whatever way he tries it, it will not be as a dual player.
“I think, unfortunately, the days of that are over,” Egan says.
“It’s really tricky. Games are on similar days now and you would be asking too much, of your own body and the people around you.”
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Cormac Egan Egan GAA Gaelic Football Mickey Harte Offaly The Faithful