Tyrone manager Mickey Harte said he is as "happy as could be" as he makes the closing preparations for their attempt to end Dublin’s dominance of the All-Ireland Football Championship in their semi-final clash on Sunday.
We need your consent to load this SoundCloud contentWe use SoundCloud to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
The Red Hand secured a second Ulster title in-a-row with victory over Down in July and having made light work of Armagh in the quarter-finals, and there is growing optimism that they can cause an upset against Jim Gavin’s men.
Harte, speaking to the BBC, said he revels in a situation of big days for the county in Croke Park.
He said: "I'm happy as could be. What a privilege to be in the place that I'm in, working with the players that I'm working with, and the energy they bring to this place.
"The opportunity to be working with the best players in Tyrone - I've said this for many years - that at a time when they are amongst the best in the country....that is some privilege.
"To be on that line involved in a game of that stature and that nature, knowing how many people's hopes are hanging on this team going out to do the best they can and the pride it brings to the people of their parishes, their clubs and their county.
"There are people out there that it gives them a feel good factor to be from Tyrone when they see a Tyrone team going out to Croke Park to play in big days like this.
"What a privilege that is and of course I enjoy it. I enjoy it because I work hard at it, I enjoyed it because I put a lot of thought into this.
"I enjoy it because we have people who come together to give of themselves for something bigger than themselves and that's a great gift to have amongst a bunch of players. "
After Kerry’s exciting draw with Mayo last Saturday with a replay to come on Saturday, the feeling is this weekend could throw up two memorable semi-final games, and that the Ulster side are possibly the best-equipped to stifle the reigning champions given their record against them in the league.
"It's a lot of anticipation around how this might pan out," Harte admitted.
"We haven't played Dublin at their peak form in the Championship until this time. We will know a lot more after we go toe-to-toe with them in the Championship of this generation."
"Dublin are without question the best team of the last four to seven years you might say. People are deciding if they are the best team ever and obviously they must be very close to that accolade. We hope we can dent their hopes of being quite that.
"But it is a major challenge for us. We believe we're a good emerging side as well. We have played well against them in the league with good outcomes, but that was the league.
"That was a certain time of the year, we haven't played them at their peak form in the Championship until this time. We will know a lot more after we go toe-to-toe with them in the Championship of this generation."
The Dubs did not have to find their best form in the quarter-final against Monaghan, yet scored 1-19 and were not in any serious danger against the Farney men.
It’s expected they will have to up their game for the semi-final, but Harte wants to see Dublin struggling on the day to give his side the best possible opportunity.
"I believe we are capable of winning the game, regardless of who plays where, if we play to the full extent of our potential. I think we're capable of winning the game.
"It’s very seldom two teams play to their full potential. It's always the case when a team wins the game, it will be levied that the other team underperformed.
"I think it's highly unlikely that you'll get the both of us performing to our peak potential at the same time. I hope that it's us that performs and that level and they just don't quite make it."
