Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SYSTEM FAILURE
Gavin preparing for Donegal style ambush from Red Hands
DUBLIN’S football evolution will be put to the test on Sunday as they look to prove that lightning can’t strike twice.
The Dubs’ All-ireland semifinal defeat to Donegal in 2014 saw Jim Gavin’s cavalier attacking approach undone by Jim Mcguinness ultra-defence turned lethal counter-attack. Back on the same stage this Sunday after securing the last two All-irelands, the Dubs face a Tyrone side that brings a similar threat to that Donegal one. Those last two Sam Maguire triumphs were forged from a more pragmatic game plan. Dublin’s stylish forward approach mostly remained, but Gavin moved Cian O’sullivan into a covering role to shore things up. And it has worked.
“Our game-plan continues to change,” said Gavin, batting away the suggestion that he altered Dublin’s game after that heartbreak.
“The game, if you go back five, 10, 20 years, has changed.
“That’s a great flux that we’re in. It’s a fantastic time to be involved in it as a coach where there’s a lot of innovation going on. It has continued to grow.
“You can see even for the Tyrone game, the way it continues to evolve. We’re going to have to keep adapting to keep up with them.
“I think at this end of the season when you go back over the last number of years since we’ve been involved we’ve always had tough All-ireland semi-finals. None of them have ever been easy – and this one isn’t going to be easy either.”
Gavin doesn’t give away much, unless he wants to, so the idea that Sunday will bring a proper road test of the changes made is also swerved by the wily Dubs boss.
“There’s always been that learning culture to see what we can get, win, lose or draw.
“And 2014 was no different. My recollection is that we were beaten by a better team on the day – and Kerry won the Allireland. So that’s learning for us.
“We’ve been consistent in the way we’ve approached and reviewed every game. We’re always learning, even as recent as the Monaghan game. There’s a lot to take from that.”
What he will concede is that Tyrone’s game plan, with Mark