Colm Cooper is man who well used to the spotlight and giving interviews.
But it’s rare in any sport to hear of praise for a direct marker from an All-Ireland final defeat that is still very fresh in the memory of a Kingdom squad that lost to Dublin just two months ago.
Colm Cooper was outscored by his direct marker Philly McMahon in the 0-12 to 0-9 loss in September, with the Ballymun man scoring an outrageous point in the first half as the corner-forward tried desperately to close him down in front of the Hogan Stand.
Later in the game, however, McMahon was involved in an incident with Kieran Donaghy, when the corner-back appeared to eye-gouge the Kerry forward.
However, according to today’s Irish Times, Colm Cooper, speaking in Down, felt that McMahon could easily have been Player of the Year, and the spotlight has been cast unfairly on the three-time All-Ireland winner
“You can talk about various points in his play, but the biggest point is that he had a fantastic season. He marked big players in big games and did very very well against them. He was in line for Player of the Year.
“The incidents he was involved in, that’s not for me to decide. That’s what the committees in Dublin are there to sort out. My job is playing and the only thing I would say is he had a very good season,” said Cooper.
“I’ve seen it with different players that they come under the microscope an awful lot. We’ve had it in Kerry with Paul Galvin for a number of years. Some of it fair, some of it unfair. That’s just the nature of the beast.”
Cooper’s response to questioning about McMahon is in line with the various statements that have come out of the Kerry camp since the defeat aback in September.
The Kerry legend is also surprised that none of the players involved in a recent documentary on RTE, detailing various events on and of the field on all-Ireland day, were informed that their conversations with referee David Coldrick were recorded.
The programme caused controversy when some conversations with the Meath official, including McMahon and Donaghy, were broadcast.
Cooper admits it was a strange situation,
“It was just surprising from the point of view that no one knew about it.
“Should the players be told before the game? I think they should. It was there, not to catch out players I don’t think, but it was there to show the public what really happens.
“But I think it would have been nice if they had let both squads know at least.”
