Jonny Cooper was the victim of Maurice Deegan's capricious application of the black card on Saturday. When John Small's trip of Diarmuid O'Connor in the eighth minute went unpunished, it looked like that was it for the rule. You presumed Deegan had left the black card at home.
That perception changed 12 minutes later when Dublin fullback Jonny Copper was shown black by Deegan for a remarkably similar incident to the one for which Small went unpunished earlier.
One of Dublin's most important defenders was forced to watch the game from the stands.
Despite the loss of Cooper, Dublin still prevailed and the Na Fianna player walked the steps of the Hogan Stand to lift Sam Maguire and claim his third All-Ireland medal.
The victory appears to have negated any ill feels Cooper might have towards the black card. The 26-year-old was interviewed interrogated by his own teammate Denis Bastick on 98FM. The Dublin midfielder, who won his fourth All-Ireland medal on Saturday, had taken the microphone from reporter Darren Cleary.
At 35, it is likely to be Bastick's final year with Dublin - though Jonny Cooper did as for 'one more year'. If he does call it a day, going on this interview, Bastick could fill that inter-county gap in his life with some media work.
Denis Bastick interviews Jonny Cooper
Denis Bastick: Denis Bastick here, standing in for 98FM. Johnny, what does it feel like this morning?
Johnny Cooper: It's a special day. It's great to be here.
DB: You've been practising a few of those lines. How do you really feel?
JC: I'm absolutely bolloxed.
DB: Talk us through having to play Mayo the second time around, did you do anything different than the first day?
JC: I got a few extra per centers after the first game. I got a black card. I watched it in the stand with your good self.
DB: Keep the seat warm up there. It's not nice to watch it up there, is it?
JC: Some job you're doing up there in fairness. I was in a dodgy seat up the back.
DB: Tell me, was it a black card? Should it go, should they keep the rule? What do you think?
JC: I think fundamentally the rule is good. Maybe the implementation needs a look and the officials need a helping hand.
DB: Any onus on the players to maybe not trip people by the foot?
JC: [Laughs] Listen, I played 15 minutes. Next man up.
You can listen to the interview here.
