Gavin deflects praise onto the players who have little chance of getting game time
JUST 70 minutes separate Dublin from fresh confirmation of their greatness. But Jim Gavin will make no concessions to the expectation of glory. He would go so far as acknowledging that it will be exciting to prepare for another AllIreland final; this will be his fifth season leading Dublin to the biggest day of the year.
They mashed Galway here, and no matter who wins today, they will be strongly fancied to do the same to them in the final. Even for a man as rigorous as Gavin, this must constitute excitement? Yes – but he qualified it.
‘Yes it is,’ he said. ‘To work with such a determined group of men just makes it so easy. We’re on their coattails. They drive the agenda. The motivation comes from them. They are selfless with their time and the energy they give to their sport. They are lucky to have great support from family and work colleagues, and we’re just there to help them be the best they can be.
‘Some days they’ll get it on script, sometimes they won’t but I know one thing: they’ll keep trying.’
They were exceptional here. Given the venue and the nature of the contest, their win against Tyrone in Omagh probably represents their best performance of the season so far, but this ran it close.
‘I think we’ve had some really good displays this summer so far,’ said Gavin. ‘I’m just happy with the team performance. Not only the guys who finished the game for us, but in the shadows there’s another cohort of players pushing really hard, not even for game-time, but to get on the match-day panel.
‘The culture and environment that the guys have created for themselves is all about the team. They are but the sum of their parts, and I know when they resume training next week they’ll do their best for Dublin.’
Brian Fenton led for Dublin with a performance that established his status as the group’s most influential player. Jack McCaffrey was terrific, and Brian Howard continued his development into a fresh star in their middle eight.
But in the final quarter Gavin was also able to cut loose veterans like Paul Flynn and Kevin McManamon, hardened warriors who know what it takes to win matches of every nature.
‘They’re great leaders, that’s the first thing I’d say about them,’ said Gavin. ‘Their dedication and determination to play for Dublin is infectious. Leadership is all about influence and that’s what those players do.
‘In all of squad sessions, our team meetings and on the pitch, they leave their mark by their actions. We’re very fortunate to have them.
‘Semi-finals are there to be won and we’re just happy to get through it. First of all you’re pleased with the victory,’ he said of this latest triumph.
‘We prepared well for the game and that probably showed in the performance. Coming into the game we had been so impressed with what Galway have brought.
‘This year they have been really, really impressive and we knew it was going to be a really tight game.
‘It was at half-time and we just told the boys to keep doing what they were doing and we’d hope that we’d eventually get through.’
Kevin Walsh talked through the year about tallying Galway’s accounts at the end of the season and judging then whether they have improved.
They certainly have, even allowing for this. He wouldn’t rush into confirming he will return, however, even though it would be staggering if he did not come back for one more go at least.
‘Ah, to be honest, I’m not considering anything. I’m only a half an hour after getting beaten.
‘It’s not as simple as Kevin or any one person. There’s a backroom here of around 20 people, but things change; players change, management change, circumstances change.
‘I just haven’t had time to reflect on that to be honest. I certainly will be reflecting on the year in my own time.’