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From the outside, the transition between Jim Gavin’s regime and Dessie Farrell’s ‘administration’ seems completely seamless, and based on Jonny Cooper’s initial response on the matter, it’s also hard to tell the difference on the field.
“Uh … to be honest, nothing catches my eye,” Cooper told reporters after Saturday’s final, when asked if he could widen the differences between the two management teams.
He quickly delved into a more comfortable topic, the power shift among the playing group.
“I suppose there was a transition of power in management. But also, from the player’s point of view.
“There are several players who are new, so the responsibility falls on the leaders within the group, but also on their side (of Farrell).
“We tried to be co-curators of the two sides at the beginning of the season. And then there was a big breakup, so we tried to stick together as best we could.
“In the last few weeks, we’ve learned a lot about ourselves in this new group. Obviously, there are new guys that we hope will continue like this.”
It was the fourth time in eight years that Dublin defeated Mayo in the final in Ireland. One point had separated the teams at the end of the previous three decisive.
Although the surge in the late quarter pushed Dublin’s margin of victory to five this time around, the first 50 minutes were a typical matter of discord and competition.
It was considerably less windy and comfortable than what Dublin was used to this winter. But this, Cooper says, was expected.
“They are (Mayo) a wild team. They have always had that level of strength and intensity. We probably expected it to some degree.
“But at the same time, it’s only when you’re inside, you have to try to figure it out.
“At half-time we were one man down (after Robbie McDaid’s black card) and we had to readjust. We had to pick up the pace a bit, we managed to control the first minutes of the second half, which gave us a bit of balance. .
“They were still coming towards us in waves, but when we got the full compliment, it gave us a better chance to calm things down. We hung out for a while until the end when it widened a bit.”
A Dubs septet now holds eight medals from across Ireland – Cluxton, McCarthy and Co., joining five Kerry luminaries from the 1970s and 1980s.
Cooper himself has only all seven medals at the moment, having joined the team after Pat Gilroy achieved the success of 2011.
The Dubs have broken new ground again, winning a sixth straight title. One wonders how they keep hunger.
For Cooper (31), it derives, a la Kilkenny under Cody, from competitiveness within the team.
“We’ve heard from our managers over the last few years that you need to push those standards and behaviors 24/7. That’s important. Easy to say, but I guess doing it is something else.
“What do I attribute it to? There is probably hunger and something there, particularly from the group of younger guys pushing the higher leaders.
“Who knows what will happen to some of us in the future. There is a competitive team there and a new management team that keeps us on our toes.
“You have to work at it. It takes a lot of discipline and effort. You sign up for that. You’re not perfect every day and you’re relying on other guys. But personally, I’m in that senior category leadership, so you have to advance as much as you can. “.
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