Gavin: It has been a big learning experience

Dublin senior football manager Jim Gavin says lessons will be learned from the All-Ireland SFC semi-final loss to Donegal but that the Dubs would still remain loyal to the core philosophy of how they play.

"I accept full responsibility for that performance," said Jim at the launch of AIG's GAA club promotion, which offers members up to 15pc off insurance policies.

"And I accept full responsibility for the philosophy and for the way Dublin play their football, for the attacking style we play and sometimes for the vulnerability that it brings and the unpredictability of it.

"I've managed Dublin teams for eight years now and I've lost more than I've won. And with this particular group, the senior squad, they've done pretty well.

"We look at it by competition so if you go through the National Leagues, the Leinster competition and the All-Ireland competition, they've won five out of six.

"So one result doesn't affect my resolve or the players' resolve. One result won't change the core philosophy of how Dublin play football. It's been a learning experience."It's about trying to get that balanced approach in the future," adds Jim.

"The performance wasn't balanced in relation to the game and we got ruthlessly punished by a very good team who exploited it. That's for me to go away and learn from.

"We got some breaks of the ball last year, didn't get them this year. When you win, victory can look so easy and defeat can look so confounding at times.

"The game is about margins, as we saw (in the All-Ireland final).

"Certainly there have been lessons to be learned from it and it has been a big learning experience for me. As with every game in past and with any teams we've managed, no matter whether we win or lose, we'll always learn.

"I would get a better balance between defence and attack (if the game was played again). We have a core strategy of attacking football. I accept the responsibility that the vulnerability that that expression brings was exploited.

"But I certainly wouldn't stray away from that philosophy. It's about getting the balance between defence and attack."