Jim Gavin doesn't subscribe to the theory that Gaelic football is being destroyed as a spectacle by defensive tactics.

Speaking at the launch of the Leinster championships in Farmleigh yesterday, the Dublin manager claimed that the game "is in a very good place" at present.

"Some teams set themselves up defensively to counter-attack and some teams try to play an expansive, attacking game. Obviously, there's no right or wrong way to play the game," he said.

"A lot of people referred to the Dublin-Derry game, but from a coaching perspective it was intriguing to be involved in. At the end of that game we won by double scores and we tried a lot of new things out. They played a very, very solid game, similar to Tyrone. I think that's the evolution of the game and it was fascinating to be involved in the centre of it."

Gavin maintains that Dublin's shock defeat to Donegal in last year's All-Ireland SFC semi-final was down to them being unable to counteract the Ulster side's defensive system.

"I think we've always been adaptable. Last year, on the day, we were beaten by the better team in the championship but we've always tried to play an adaptable type of game, depending on what type of game teams will employ against us.

"But as I said, most of our focus in all of our sessions goes on the way we like to play the game of football and sometimes you can play that expansive type of game and sometimes you can't.

"If you can't you just need to have different systems and plans in place and to that end I feel the national league was very fruitful for us."

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