Tyrone star Sean Cavanagh has criticised the state of the Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda, remarking that Saturday's trip to the Co. Louth venue is "like going to Accrington Stanley". The ground's capacity has been set at just 4,500 for this weekend's qualifier which sees Louth play at home in the championship for the first time in a number of years. When the teams last met in the All-Ireland qualifiers in 2006, they drew at Navan before Tyrone won the replay in Omagh. "We were down there last Thursday and it's like a poor Division 3 club ground in Tyrone," an unimpressed Cavanagh claimed. "The pitch is very narrow and bumpy. It's not like playing in Croke Park. It is the same for both teams. You just have to get on with it. "Louth probably think it will play to their advantage but we will have to use it to ours. That is what the qualifiers are all about, going to hard places like that and getting wins." Speaking just down the road from Drogheda in Gormanston, Co. Meath, the All-Star midfielder also defended under-fire Tyrone boss Mickey Harte and called on the Tyrone players to stand up and be counted this weekend. "You hear people writing us and Mickey Harte off. There are a lot of fans up in Tyrone calling for his head and that is crazy. Things like that drive you on but they are probably right to write us off. We haven't produced the last few years," he said. "Training the last few weeks has been as good as it has ever been and, whatever happens, we can't blame Mickey Harte or any of the management." Tweet

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