Gavin sad it’s over for most
teams looking in going, ‘That’s a nice party, it would be nice to be part of it’.
“But we’re just delighted to qualify, that’s all we can do. You’ll have eight really good, strong teams and there will be some great games.
“I don’t know what the leadership of the GAA’S vision is for the end of this. A lot of teams will have finished their Championship by mid-july. But I’m not going to make too much of it now. It’s something to reflect upon post-season.
“From our perspective, we’re just going to focus in on the three games we’ll have and try and do our very best in each one individually.”
Gavin was displeased that John Small was sent off on his return to action, just six minutes after coming on for Michael Darragh Macauley.
Small got his marching orders from referee Barry Cassidy when he appeared to slap Laois forward Evan O’carroll in the face.
“My initial reaction was it was just a clumsy challenge,” said Gavin. “I don’t think there was anything malicious in what John did. I’m surprised that he went.”
However, Gavin is confident skipper Stephen Cluxton will face Donegal after missing his first Championship game since 2004 due to injuries suffered in the provincial semi-final.
In his absence, Jonny Cooper lifted the Delaney
Cup and Evan Comerford made his full Championship debut between the posts.
Cian O’sullivan (right) wasn’t called upon as Gavin admitted: “He picked up a little knock during the week. We probably could have played him if we had to but we decided in the context of the game that we’d move on to the next one for him.”
The boss also speculated that Bernard Brogan will most likely be unavailable until an All-ireland semi-final as he steps up his recovery from injury.
“He’s doing his damnedest to get back on the pitch,” said Gavin.