Gavin admits cavalier Dublin must find balance in defence

Dublin manager Jim Gavin has held his hands up for the shock All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Donegal, conceding to a defensive "vulnerability" as a result of their swashbuckling style.

Gavin’s hopes of guiding Dublin to back-to-back All-Ireland titles were dashed last month by 7/1 outsiders Donegal, who outscored them in an open, attacking encounter.

Dublin management were criticised afterwards for not shoring up their defence with extra bodies when Donegal were getting on top and exploiting large gaps around the half-back line.

Gavin said his core belief in attacking football hasn’t shifted as a result of the defeat or indeed the tactical, tense All-Ireland final played out last weekend between Donegal and Kerry. But he did accept playing such an attacking game left them exposed and that Donegal took full advantage. Asked what he’d do differently, Gavin said: “I’d get a balance between defence and attack. We have a core strategy of attacking football. I accept the responsibility, that the vulnerability that that expression brings was exploited.

“But I certainly wouldn’t stray away from that philosophy. It’s getting the balance between defence and attack.”

He added: “On a personal level, I accept full responsibility for that performance. And I accept full responsibility for the philosophy and the way Dublin play their football, for the attacking style we play and sometimes for the vulnerability that it brings and the unpredictability of it.

“I’ve managed Dublin teams for eight years now and I’ve lost more than I’ve won. And with this particular group, the senior squad, they’ve done pretty well. We look at it by competition, so if you go through the national leagues, the Leinster competition and the All-Ireland competition, they’ve won five out of six.

“So one result doesn’t affect my resolve or the players’ resolve. One result won’t change the core philosophy of how Dublin play football. But it’s been a learning experience, that’s for sure. And it’s about trying to get that balanced approach in the future.”

Gavin admits his first championship defeat as Dubs boss was difficult to take. He had tickets for last weekend’s All-Ireland final but gave them away. “I gave my tickets to people who’d get more enjoyment from it,” he said.

Dublin started well against Donegal but conceded precious momentum as Donegal rallied to lead by a point at the break. Donegal pushed on from there with second and third goals when many believed Dublin should have locked down their defence. Gavin though, a former Air Corps pilot, suggested he did change things around, just to no avail. “I learned in military college 25 years ago from [the teachings of] a guy called Carl von Clausewitz that your plans will never survive first contact with the enemy,” said Gavin. “Whatever plan any manager has going into a game, he has to be adaptable with it. It wasn’t a matter of Plan A and Plan B, your strategy has to be adaptable as the game evolves. There are certain matches you can dictate and certain ones you can’t.

“We changed things in the game, we brought certain players on, we created chances in both halves but they weren’t taken. That’s just sport.”

Kerry won the All-Ireland but in unfamiliar style. Gavin corrected a reporter yesterday who referenced a statement by the Dublin manager that Kerry deviated from their philosophy.

“I didn’t say they deviated from their philosophy, I said that was the game plan they brought,” said Gavin. “I have always adopted the approach of aspiring to win getting a performance in the game. That’s always been my core philosophy. My players know that. What I need to do and what we need to do is get that balance between our attacking philosophy, which is quite strong and our defensive one, which needs to be worked on.”

Dublin rally around Cooper

The Dublin football panel has rallied around defender Jonny Cooper in the wake of the sickening knife attack on him last weekend. Cooper was the victim of a frenzied mugging and was stabbed several times around the head and upper body.

“He’s recovering,” said Dubs manager Jim Gavin. “It’s obviously been traumatic for him. It was a violent attack and it was outstanding work by the emergency services and by the medical team and the staff in the Mater.”

Bernard Brogan said he spoke with his 2013 All-Ireland winning colleague. “He has some bad scrapes, bad cuts and stuff but he was lucky he didn’t lose an eye or it didn’t hit an artery or anything like that. He’ll have the scars and marks there to remind him of the experience, a nasty one.”