We like to have a little fun at Jim Gavin’s expense on The GAA Hour.
The Dublin manager is famously composed in interviews, seemingly taking delight in giving away little or nothing about himself, his team, the day of the week or the weather outside.
He is a pilot, he is in control. He is also very, very good at managing football teams.
The mask slipped just a little after a pulsating drawn All-Ireland final. Dublin were gifted not one but two first half own goals but managed only five points from play in wet conditions as a rabid Mayo defence bottled-up their feared attack.
The starting sextet of forwards – Dean Rock, Bernard Brogan, Diarmuid Connolly, Ciarán Kilkenny, Kevin McManamon and Paul Flynn – were well marshalled and restricted to just two points from play.
Couple more goals into Canal End now Mayo #DUBvMAYO
https://t.co/mkkq2xM73u— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 18, 2016
At the other end the reigning champions were put to the pin of their collar by a Mayo attack that needed all seven minutes of extra-time to nail the equalising score through Cillian O’Connor.
There is no doubt the champions were below par, but whether that was down to the tackling and hard-running of their opponents or a drop in performance on their own part will be analysed before the October 1st replay, but Gavin suggested to RTÉ’s Marty Morrissey that there is a lot of room for improvement in his team.
His team, who he did not seem overly happy with. There was no talk of process here, this was pure frustration, mixed with a dose of relief.
“We’re very happy to still be in the competition after that performance,” he said. “Scoring five from play in an All-Ireland final is just not good enough.”
He added: “We didn’t deserve to win so we will go away and regroup and try and take what we can from the game and we are really looking to getting back here in two weeks time.”
Five points from play isn't good enough.
Jim Gavin not happy pic.twitter.com/UyVDWNxxKB— Mikey Stafford (@me_stafford) September 18, 2016
