TYRONE BOSS MICKEY Harte is confident Sean Cavanagh won’t be hanging up his boots this winter.
Cavanagh, one of only three survivors from Tyrone’s All-Ireland winning team of 2008, will return to inter-county action next year according to Harte.
There was speculation the 33-year-old would consider his future after the Red Hand’s narrow defeat to Mayo in the All-Ireland quarter-final, but he appears to be committed to the cause as Tyrone aim to build on last year’s Ulster championship victory.
“Well I don’t think it’s the last time he’s playing for Tyrone, and I hope it’s not the last time he’s playing for Tyrone,” Harte said on TG4′s live coverage of the Tyrone SFC final yesterday.
“It would be an awful way for a man of his stature, and with the career he’s had for Tyrone, to finish on that note and I just think it would not be right.
“Anything I can do to keep him and persuade him to stay there and continue to be the big player that he is for Tyrone – then that’s what I’ll be doing.”
Cavanagh has yet to formally comment on the speculation, but Harte indicated that privately the Moy star has hinted he’ll stay on.
“He’s made a few suggestions anyway that he’ll be making it a certain thing, but I have no doubt you will see Sean Cavanagh playing for Tyrone next year.”
Harte’s own future in charge of Tyrone is less than certain, after the county board turned down his request to extend his current agreement until the end of 2018.
“There wasn’t any reasons for it (the refusal) given to me. I just asked for it, actually there was two years supposed to be in the offing, for to give that degree of continuity.”
He added: “With this team developing the way it is, I thought it would be a good thing to do to take away all that doubt about who’s going to be there, for how long whatever.
“It is disappointing that it didn’t happen but it is what it is. The fact of the matter is that I’m still the manager next year so there’s work to be done for that.”
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