JONNY COOPER IS READY to make three his magic number this season if that’s what it takes to hang on to Sam.
Rory O’Carroll’s decision to take a year out from the inter-county game has left a hole in the Dubs’ defence, and Jim Gavin is on the hunt for the capital’s next great full-back.
St Vincent’s Jarlath Curley was given the chance to audition during the O’Byrne Cup campaign, as was Eoin Culligan from Kilmacud Crokes.
Cooper said: “I think the mantra has always been among ourselves, albeit Rory is a big presence, that you have to stick your hand up the highest if you want the jersey.”
And the two-time All-Ireland winner would relish the challenge at full-back himself if that’s what Gavin decides.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“I have been incredibly lucky to put on the jersey. I don’t have any say in what position I want to play in. If he wants to put me in at full-back and he feels if I can do a job, absolutely, 100%.
I play there all the time. The dynamic of the game, be it [wearing number] two or four, you end up at full-back, marking the full-forward, or to some degree being in front of the goal space.
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“If Rory was injured for various times in the last few years, I have played there personally and some of the other lads have also played there.
“Yeah, bring it on!”
O’Carroll’s strength in the air forced teams to cut down on long balls and seek alternative routes towards the Dubs’ goal.
But now that he’s out of the equation, opponents could sense an opportunity, Cooper agreed.
“We obviously look at teams, and they look at us, and how we can exploit Rory etc in the air.
“Again his physical presence was probably felt by opposition markers so yeah, absolutely, teams probably will try something different.
“It’s an evolving process we have here. We have to try and counteract that and build our defensive structures in a way that will suit us.”
Jonny Cooper was speaking at AIG's announcement of a 47% discount for new home insurance customers. Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE
Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE / SPORTSFILE
“It just wasn’t good enough across the board,” Cooper said. “You can make any excuse but it just wasn’t good enough.
“When you put on a Dublin jersey, we expect a lot more from ourselves as players and obviously for the management looking in, they expect a lot more too.”
They won’t have to wait long for a chance to get back to winning ways, with a repeat of the All-Ireland final against Kerry just around the corner on 30 January.
Dublin’s recent dominance will count for little when the rivals meet under the Croke Park lights for the Division 1 opener, and the priority will be to road-test Gavin’s 2016 plans in the heat of battle.
“I am not sure what path [Kerry] are on in terms of training and everything else,” Cooper said. “I know what path we are on.
“Obviously we got one over on them in September. It is probably a clean slate, they have an eye on last September and laying down a marker and everything else.
“But it is still early doors and it is all about getting a good competitive game from our point of view — obviously we want to win and everything else, but a good competitive game that allows us to use the structures and systems we are trying to use.
“We are trying to evolve in 2016, and that is probably more important, getting that performance right.”
'Bring it on!' Jonny Cooper puts his hand up as possible replacement for Rory O'Carroll
JONNY COOPER IS READY to make three his magic number this season if that’s what it takes to hang on to Sam.
Rory O’Carroll’s decision to take a year out from the inter-county game has left a hole in the Dubs’ defence, and Jim Gavin is on the hunt for the capital’s next great full-back.
St Vincent’s Jarlath Curley was given the chance to audition during the O’Byrne Cup campaign, as was Eoin Culligan from Kilmacud Crokes.
Cooper said: “I think the mantra has always been among ourselves, albeit Rory is a big presence, that you have to stick your hand up the highest if you want the jersey.”
And the two-time All-Ireland winner would relish the challenge at full-back himself if that’s what Gavin decides.
“Absolutely,” he said.
“I have been incredibly lucky to put on the jersey. I don’t have any say in what position I want to play in. If he wants to put me in at full-back and he feels if I can do a job, absolutely, 100%.
“If Rory was injured for various times in the last few years, I have played there personally and some of the other lads have also played there.
“Yeah, bring it on!”
O’Carroll’s strength in the air forced teams to cut down on long balls and seek alternative routes towards the Dubs’ goal.
But now that he’s out of the equation, opponents could sense an opportunity, Cooper agreed.
“We obviously look at teams, and they look at us, and how we can exploit Rory etc in the air.
“Again his physical presence was probably felt by opposition markers so yeah, absolutely, teams probably will try something different.
“It’s an evolving process we have here. We have to try and counteract that and build our defensive structures in a way that will suit us.”
The shock defeat to Longford in the O’Byrne Cup semis leaves Dublin with this weekend off.
“It just wasn’t good enough across the board,” Cooper said. “You can make any excuse but it just wasn’t good enough.
“When you put on a Dublin jersey, we expect a lot more from ourselves as players and obviously for the management looking in, they expect a lot more too.”
They won’t have to wait long for a chance to get back to winning ways, with a repeat of the All-Ireland final against Kerry just around the corner on 30 January.
Dublin’s recent dominance will count for little when the rivals meet under the Croke Park lights for the Division 1 opener, and the priority will be to road-test Gavin’s 2016 plans in the heat of battle.
“I am not sure what path [Kerry] are on in terms of training and everything else,” Cooper said. “I know what path we are on.
“Obviously we got one over on them in September. It is probably a clean slate, they have an eye on last September and laying down a marker and everything else.
“But it is still early doors and it is all about getting a good competitive game from our point of view — obviously we want to win and everything else, but a good competitive game that allows us to use the structures and systems we are trying to use.
“We are trying to evolve in 2016, and that is probably more important, getting that performance right.”
No stopping Cluxton – goalkeeper to captain Dubs again in 2016
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Eoin Culligan GAA Gaelic Football Jarlath Curley Jim Gavin Jonny Cooper Rory O'Carroll Dublin That's Me In The Corner