Reaction Tyrone v Down: In the contentment that followed his team's enormous win, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte is nonetheless quick to acknowledge the narrow margins that divide success and failure. His first year in charge has brought an Ulster title but that's a ticket rather than a prize these days.

"It's very easy talking about complete displays on a good day," insisted Harte. "We're still the same team that Down almost had beaten last week. We're still the same team that Derry nearly beat in the first round. We're not some wonderful team that's fixed everything.

"We're on our way to trying to be better. We can learn from this today but we're by no means the finished product.

"I don't think it was easy. I believed that Tyrone worked hard. We converted our superiority into scores in the first half and that's always critical. Maybe it gave it the look of being easy but unless we fought until the very end we would have been in danger."

Winning captain Peter Canavan now has four Ulster medals to his name but his career has spanned the time during which a provincial title stopped being an end in itself.

"In the wider scheme of things now I suppose it doesn't have the same importance attached to it in recent years. Whereas previously you were into an All-Ireland semi-final now it's a quarter-final. Winning today doesn't guarantee an easier path to an All-Ireland," said Canavan after the game.

One displeasing aspect of the afternoon was the missile thrown at Down goalkeeper Michael McVeigh, to whose assistance Canavan went to after the incident.

"He seemed to be hit with something - I'm not sure what it was. You don't need to see that in Gaelic football. Our supporters do behave themselves very well and it was a pity to see that happen to Mickey who's one of the true gentleman in the game."

In the Down dressing-room the mood was less eloquent. Manager Paddy O'Rourke hardly paused to look up from the metaphorical and literal task of packing his bag.

"No words today. I've no words today and would appreciate it if you'd all leave the changing-room."

No words? Know how he feels.