Ulster SFC 2024: Derry must embrace 'hunted' tag in Donegal quarter-final, says Mickey Harte

Mickey Harte says his Derry side must shoulder the pressure of being the "hunted" as they prepare to lock horns with Donegal in Saturday's hotly-anticipated Ulster Championship quarter-final at Celtic Park.

After winning the Division One title, Derry are aiming to complete a hat-trick of Ulster titles but Harte admits Donegal are a "different proposition" under Jim McGuinness.

"We've seen what he's done the last time he was in [as Donegal boss], Harte said of McGuinness.

"He organises and motivates people very well. He's a very astute manager and he has quality players there, players who were successful at underage and have matured into young Gaelic football athletes of the highest standard.

"We know that the Ulster Championship always has many surprises in it.

"Derry will be favourites because they're champions of the last two years and that's something they'll have to manage to carry and be wary of what's coming down the track."

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As Harte points out, this year marks his 34th consecutive season in management, having led a team each year since he first took the Tyrone minors in 1991.

While Harte spent several years in charge of Tyrone underage teams in addition to his club Errigal Ciaran, not many could have predicted the path he has taken since his 18-year stint as Tyrone senior boss came to an end in 2020.

After three years with Louth, Harte sent shockwaves through Ulster and beyond by taking the reins at Derry. When asked if the prospect of big championship games against worthy managerial adversaries such as McGuinness inspires him to keep going, Harte said: "I'm just delighted to be out and about and working with teams at this stage.

"I've always enjoyed doing this. When my opportunity with Tyrone ended and other people wanted something, then I was happy to be there. Myself and Gavin [Devlin] have enjoyed our partnership for many years and hopefully we can do some good work with Derry too.

"We can't promise any titles or anything else but we'll promise to try and make them better."

Derry, under Harte's auspices, have bounced back impressively from last year's All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Kerry, winning a first top-flight National League title since 2008 in style with an enthralling penalty shootout success over Dublin in last month's final at Croke Park.

With Derry's seasoned campaigners being ably supported by a growing cast of fresh-faced youngsters blooded by Harte such as Cormac Murphy, Diarmuid Baker and Donncha Gilmore, many feel they have enough ammunition to end a 31-year wait for the county's second Sam Maguire.

"Who knows who could win the All-Ireland or who can't," said Harte, whose last championship duel with McGuinness was a 2-10 to 0-10 defeat in the 2013 Ulster quarter-finals.

"There's potential there but many teams have potential. It's a goal that Derry obviously have and we'll have to do our best to bring that goal to fruition for them.

"There's no guarantees but we do guarantee we'll try our very best and if we make them a better team, there's a possibility they'll win things as well."