Jonny Cooper red card: Sky Sports panel's verdict on the Dublin player's dismissal

Jonny Cooper's dismissal in the first half of the All-Ireland final changed the complex of the decider, and with the numerical advantage, Kerry fought back in the second half to rescue a draw.

Like any red card on such a big stage, it was subject to much debate, but the Sky Sports panel were in agreement referee David Gough made the right decision in the awarding of two yellows.

"Jonny is a combative player, we know that," stated ex-Dublin star Senan Connell.

"He likes to make contact. He's very aggressive in the tackle. Maybe there should have been a call by Jim Gavin to take him off.

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"In David Gough's mind, there's an accumulation of fouls here. No matter what else, you have to be disciplined in the tackle once you're after giving away a certain amount of frees. I said it here in studio [after the first yellow], Jonny is going to have to be very careful here. The accumulative fouls are going to hurt him, and they did in the end.

"[It was] persistent fouling and he deserved it."

Peter Canavan agreed, suggesting the Dublin management should have moved the Na Fianna defender off David Clifford after his first booking.

We're waiting for years now to see Jim Gavin show some signs of complacency - did he have too much trust in Jonny Cooper?

"Right away, he had to be taken off him [Clifford], because Jonny Cooper can't play any other way but be full-blooded and attack the ball," said Canavan.

"But we're waiting for years now to see Jim Gavin show some signs of complacency - did he have too much trust in Jonny Cooper? Why didn't he move Michael Fitzsimons onto the star man? David Clifford was playing really well."

Sky Sports' sideline reporter Damian Lawlor added context to Gough's thought-process:

Lawlor said: "I've been linked up to the referee David Gough throughout the match, and to be fair to him, while it was a tough decision for him to make in an All-Ireland final, he had warned Jonny Cooper three times during the first half about repeat infringements occurring."

The fact Cooper's dismissal was two yellow cards rather than a straight red means he will be free to play in the replay.

Watch Dublin vs Kerry in the All-Ireland final replay live on Sky Sports on Saturday, September 14.

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