Tyorne boss Mickey Harte has dismissed claims that his recent revelations about Sean Cavanagh’s absence from the starting team in the All-Ireland semifinal against Cork will cause any rift with the player.

Harte has yet to speak to Cavanagh since the revelations in his new book were publicized, but he denies there will be any problem in his relationship with Cavanagh.

“The facts of the matter are Sean didn’t play for us against Cork,” said Harte. “He wasn’t feeling the greatest on that weekend, and I’m interpreting that there was a number of circumstances that maybe contributed to that for him.

“But for somebody to suggest then that I am casting aspersions on what Sean is about would be grossly unfair. I would never, ever doubt his commitment to Tyrone or his quality as a player.

“I would say Sean is wise enough to understand that headlines can be made, but I think he should know me well enough now to know what I think of him.

“He was very busy. He’s got a busy profession, and he’s getting married this year. Sometimes that makes people busy too.

“And he had commitments with the GPA as well, as secretary, which I’m sure took his attention. You just can’t be in that role and not have things that you have to be about as well.

“He had an injury this year as well, which was niggling at him, that people never really knew about. Obviously he had an operation to correct that since.

“So when you add all these things up, and obviously he wasn’t feeling the best that night before the game, I would say a combination of all those things hasn’t helped him to be the player that he always is on that particular day.”