Harte relief after Tyrone victory

Tyrone boss Mickey Harte looks concerned during the game

Mickey Harte acknowledged his "relief" after his Tyrone side's 0-13 to 1-9 Bank of Ireland Ulster SFC victory over Fermanagh at Clones.

"It could have gone either way. It could have been a draw. With our injury crisis, to get the rub of the green and win by a point is nice," said Harte.

The Tyrone boss revealed that the neck injury sustained by Colm Cavanagh is not believed to be serious.

"Thankfully at half-time, the medical people weren't too concerned."

Harte added that Cavanagh was able to state that he had feeling in his hands which was "a good sign".

The Tyrone camp was also able to report that Brian McGuigan's "had got good news from the doctors" after his eye operation on Friday so there will be high hopes that the centre half-forward will be able to play a role for the Red Hands later in the summer.

The Tyrone boss agreed that the contest "might not have been the greatest game of football" but he praised the "endeavour and competitive edge" on show.

"Whichever team came through that game was going to be in a good place.

It wasn't easy out there. Fermanagh were well up for this game. Mickey Harte

"There was a great desire within the Tyrone players to fight for the jersey today.

"Sometimes that has been questioned in recent times. One day doesn't answer it but certainly I liked the way the players responded today.

"It wasn't easy out there. Fermanagh were well up for this game."

Harte was delighted with the contributions of his team's championship debutants.

"Tommy McGuigan opened our account and hit three of our first points.

"Colm Cavanagh was showing well (before his injury) and Niall Gormley started well, then went through a difficult patch and showed a lot of resolve to come out the other end and score two wonderful points near the end of the game."

Fermanagh boss Charlie Mulgrew said the narrow nature of the defeat added "to the sense of disappointment".

We were getting the ball directly into our full-forward line and for some reason, we stopped doing it Charlie Mulgrew

"We nearly had it. It was within our reach. We just didn't grab it."

"We did well at the start of the game. We had control of the game and were playing good football.

"We were getting the ball directly into our full-forward line and creating scores and for some reason, we stopped doing it.

"And we let Tyrone gain control in the middle of the field. We lost our way in that part of the first half and that was critical."

But even after that, Fermanagh fought back to ensure what Mulgrew described as a "nip and tuck" finale.

"The team with the more panache, experience and wherewithal won the day and that was Tyrone.

"They did the business and got the extra score to win the game."