Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DREAD CARD
Dublin’s star defender Cooper feared going down as the man who derailed drive for five
JONNY COOPER admits he would have been deservedly made a scapegoat had Dublin’s five-in-a-row bid gone up in smoke.
The defender was red-carded shortly before half-time in the All-ireland final at a time when Dublin were leading by five points, only to be pegged back by Kerry before an injury time Dean Rock point forced a replay.
Cooper (right, with Jim Gavin) played a full part the second day out as Dublin made history, but it could all have been so different.
“No matter how mentally strong or what psychological work you do, I don’t think you can prepare yourself for when you’re going down the straight and you’re the person that’s caused the team to be in that situation, in many respects,” he acknowledged.
“It certainly crosses your mind that it’s going to be hooked on you. And probably rightly so, to be fair.
“I don’t know what would have happened if we’d lost, it would have been a very dark time I’m sure in terms of trying to (cope with it)... there would have been people around me and clubmates and so on but at the same time, it’s only you that can get through it.
“I’m kind of grateful in a funny way that I have learned so much in terms of about m y self and others I guess too. In a funny way, now that it’s all worked out I can kind of reflect on that in a more positive manner.”
Of course, there’s been some dark humour from his teammates since.
“Ah they let me know about it alright. I think after the first game it’s a bit more sensitive because you still obviously have a second game to potentially win or lose but certainly after the second game you’re let know all about it, in terms of having put the lads in a very awkward position and extending the season and so on. “But I’ll certainly take it, I’ll take all the flak and I’m sure I’ll continue to take it into next year,” said Cooper, who at the announcement of a community partnership between his club Na Fianna and DCU, which gives them access to the college’s facilities. And although Cooper and Dublin got their happy ending, it’s not quite a case of all’s well that ends well from his point of view, given the ramifications of the replay.
“Yeah, lads missing holidays and whatever other jobs or opportunities that they had. I would feel accountable for that.
“But that’s just part of it. Now I know it comes with the territory. I have to hold my hand up.”
It appears increasingly likely that Jim Gavin will remain as manager and when asked where his relationship stands with him after last month’s show of faith, Cooper replied: “I don’t know, you earn your keep with Jim the whole time. I have no idea what he’s thinking about me now in the off season.
“I’m sure I put him in an awkward position as well in terms of selection, and even the first day, people might have blamed him or me for leaving me on the pitch.
“So it’s either strengthened it, or I’m back to zero. Hopefully it’s the latter and I’m back to zero and I can go and just prove myself, if that’s possible, in the future.”
It certainly crosses your mind that it’s going to be hooked on you. And probably rightly so, to be fair..