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Éamonn Fitzmaurice and Jim Gavin after yesterday's league final. James Crombie/INPHO

Jim Gavin: 'I certainly won't be speaking ill of any Kerry player or this Kerry team'

The Dublin boss didn’t seek to spark a debate after yesterday’s game.

THE PRE-MATCH debate to yesterday’s battle in Croke Park may have been sparked by the debate over the physicality of Dublin-Kerry game, but Jim Gavin had no interest in fueling it after the final whistle.

Kerry boss Éamonn Fitzmaurice sought to bring balance to the debate last week but his Dublin counterpart didn’t want to bite back after the final whistle, when pressed for his thoughts on Fitzmaurice’s remarks.

“Every manager is doing the right thing for his team and certainly if you’re putting me on the spot to try and talk ill about Eamonn Fitzmaurice, I certainly ain’t going to do it.

“I have nothing but the height of regard for Éamonn and he’s an absolute gentleman. In terms of the county of Kerry, I have nothing but admiration and warmth for that county.

“I certainly won’t be speaking ill of any Kerry player or this Kerry team. I have nothing but admiration for what they give for their county and for the Gaelic Athletic Association.

“So fantastic performance by Kerry, deserved winners and we’ll move on and I’m sure they will as well.”

Gavin is confident that key defenders missing yesterday will return to the fray in time for Dublin’s summer championship assaults.

“Jonny (Cooper) just rolled his ankle so he’s slowly coming back, John Small will be back – they’ll all be back. It is the National League – it’s the third competition, the next one is the provincial championship and then it’s the All-Ireland series.

“We have eight weeks to go to our provincial championship, that means a lot to us and hopefully we’ll have those players back but who knows we might lose some more in the club championship.”

And Gaivjn is pleased with the progress of some of Dublin’s newcomers to the fray, referencing the development of midfielder Ciarán Reddin.

“I saw him with the O’Byrne Cup team up in Enniscorthy and in Newbridge and Drogheda as well. He played really well in those games and based on that we brought him in, the same with Niall Scully and Conor McHugh.

“Those guys have had a really good National Football League, that’s what it’s about, trying to bring those players on and give them game-time. You can’t just buy that experience.”

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    Mute Tamagotchi
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:27 PM

    I’m sure Sweden’s current strikers who got them there are delighted.

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    Mute Professional Chef
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:28 PM

    Just when you thought he couldn’t become more unlikeable,

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    Mute Caoimhin O'Murchadha
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:44 PM

    Disrespectful to his fellow pros and arrogance beyond belief!

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    Mute Mike
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    Apr 15th 2018, 6:46 PM

    @Caoimhin O’Murchadha: We’re all just speculating. What’s the view in Sweden I wonder?

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    Mute Caoimhin O'Murchadha
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    Apr 15th 2018, 7:04 PM

    @Mike: No matter what way you look at it Mike he’s taking a seat on the plane that he didn’t earn, no Swedish player is going to call him out over it though because he has legendary status over there, he was a fantastic player for them over the years but this is unfair.

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    Mute james heffernan
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    Apr 15th 2018, 11:08 PM

    @Mike: Studying abroad and have met a lot of swedes and they would all welcome him back. He’s a hero in their eyes, the greatest ever swede.

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    Mute Gary Dunne
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    Apr 16th 2018, 11:09 AM

    @Caoimhin O’Murchadha: Any player in the squad earns their place. He’ll hardly be the only player to not feature regularly or at all in qualifying to be in a World Cup squad.

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    Mute David Linehan
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    Apr 15th 2018, 7:00 PM

    They’ve qualified purely down to the fact that he wasn’t there. They’re a team without him.

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    Mute al
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    Apr 15th 2018, 8:32 PM

    I’d never wish an injury on any sports player, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a few of the Swedish strikers might be getting a few voodoo dolls. Absolute awful behaviour from Zlatan and from the coaching staff if they allow him.

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    Mute Tony Mcgrath
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    Apr 15th 2018, 8:08 PM

    My guess he won’t be picked

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    Mute Sloop John G
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    Apr 16th 2018, 9:44 AM

    Must be a slow news day. This article was first posted at 6.15pm yesterday and the article about Man United’s loss to West Brom was posted at 5.50pm yet these are the top 2 stories on 42 this morning having been re-posted. Bad journalism. You need to do better.

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