Cooper hopes to spring into summer

Johnny Cooper wasn’t the first and he won’t be the last Dublin footballer to sprout in spring only to slump come summer.

There have been plenty in the past who have suffered the same fate as he did last year. Surnames like Vaughan, Hubbard, Andrews and Fennell act as sirens warning of the ides of March.

The alarm bells rang for the 2010 U21 All-Ireland winning captain last year having enjoyed a promising couple of games in the league under Pat Gilroy.