Dubs boss Gavin satisfied O’Carroll not guilty of gouging Cooper

Jim Gavin is satisfied Rory O’Carroll did nothing untoward in his much-publicised photograph with Colm Cooper.

The picture, taken in the second half of Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final, shows O’Carroll’s left hand touching the Kerry forward’s left eye. But having spoken to his full-back, Gavin is convinced there was no attempt to gouge Cooper.

“It (the photograph) was brought to my attention and I spoke to the player involved and he said it was just a tussle going for the ball. I spoke to a few players and that’s what they saw.

“I think a single frame just takes one snapshot in time and you need to have a look at the totality of the film... I don’t think Croke Park have made an issue of it.”

Gavin wasn’t concerned about the possibility the photograph may have threatened O’Carroll’s participation in the September 22 All-Ireland final against Mayo.

“No, there’s a lot of photographs you would see online and make you say ‘oh what happened there?’ but they are just snapshots of a particular time where people are taken off guard or are unusual circumstances not knowing the player involved. I’d be loathe to think anyone would say this Dublin team are cynical. I would take a step back if that was the case.

“We promote them to play good football. If there is any backchat to the referee we expect the referee to bring the ball up because I certainly wouldn’t tolerate it and they know that as well that they are getting a county jersey and with any county jersey comes a responsibility and a responsibility to the game itself.

“They only have the jersey for a certain part of their career. There’s a big tradition of Dublin teams that have gone before them, a big legacy that supports them and they have a duty of care to that, so behaving themselves on the field of play is one of them.”

As much as 11 yellow cards were brandished by Cormac Reilly, Gavin believed the game last Sunday was played in a great spirit.

“Kevin (McManamon) wasn’t taken down going through for the goal. No time-wasting from either goalkeeper. No one was feigning injury. No aggressive tackling off the ball.

“It was played in the right spirit the way Kerry people would like the game to be played, and so would Dublin people, and whether that brings you success or not is a different matter but that’s the way I believe the game should be played.”