JIM GAVIN HAS claimed that slow-motion replays on television make certain incidents seem worse than they actually are.
The Dublin manger, who saw his team defeat Donegal 1-10 to 0-7, was speaking immediately after the Allianz League Division 1 clash at Croke Park on Saturday night where it was suggested that James McCarthy tried to poke his thumb into Martin McElhinney’s eye.
Photo caption: Anthony Thompson of Donegal holds off Dublin’s John Small at Croke Park on Saturday night in the Allianz League Division 1 clash. Photo: Dáire Brennam/ Sportsfile
“To be suggesting there was something malicious, I don’t think that’s very fair,” Gavin said.
”There are lots of incidents in the game, if you slow them down to the tenth of a second playback, things won’t look as pretty as they would in real time.
“I need to have a look at them on tape. James went in, there were a couple of players around there. The official on our side I think, he informed the referee, he must have seen something. I have to speak to the player, hopefully I might get the officials as well. These things happen in games and we just need to roll with it and move on to the next game.”
Video courtesy of Setanta Sports …
https://wwwyoutube.com/watch?v=PXSpBsBMIgY
Gavin refused to criticise Donegal, who took a defensive shape into the contest.
“We don’t play that defensively but I’m not going to be here on a soap box saying it’s the wrong way to play,” he said. “It’s just the way teams decide to play. We’ve a particular style we’d like to play, that creative free-flowing football. Sometimes we can’t do it.
“When teams compress inside the 45 they’re compressing the space but I thought our guys found the space. We got three good goal opportunities tonight. Over 70 minutes, that’s probably a good return in any Championship game, man-to-man or a compressed defence but the last thing I always say to the boys going out is just to express yourselves as best you can.”
