THE DUBLIN FOOTBALLERS rare away day from Croke Park will command plenty headlines on the June Bank Holiday weekend.
But it’s not alien territory for all of Jim Gavin’s All-Ireland winning squad.
Defender Jonny Cooper has hurling experiences from a decade ago to draw on from the Kilkenny venue.
In April 2006, he played for the Dublin minor side against Kilkenny in the Leinster hurling championship, with Richie Hogan and Colin Fennelly amongst his opponents.
In the same month he lined out for the Dublin Colleges side in the Croke Cup semi-final against a Midleton CBS team that included current Cork hurlers Brian Lawton and Luke O’Farrell.
“Yeah I played hurling in Nowlan Park,” outlines Cooper, speaking at yesterday’s launch of the new Dublin GAA jersey at the AIG Head Office.
“I haven’t played football but I’ve watched and played hurling there When I was there there wasn’t much of a crowd, but the surface itself was lovely the time I was there.
“From watching games and being at games, it looks like a good place and a good atmosphere.”
Cooper admits it will be a new experience but the occasion is one more for the fans to savour.
“Yeah there will be some attention on it. For the fans it’s something new but for us it’s not really.
“It’s a different ground, different surroundings from Croke Park but for us the process is the same and the game plan or whatever else is going to be the same
“For us it’s work as usual.”
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
