Man who stabbed Jonny Cooper to be sentenced tomorrow

Exactly a year to the day before he won his second All-Ireland medal Jonny Cooper was stabbed on a night out in Dublin.

Mayo man Mark Lavelle today pleaded guilty and will be sentenced tomorrow for the crime that occurred on September 20th 2014. The corner-back received nine stab wounds to his forehead, eyelid and neck area but has no recollection of the attack. The Gardaí were called after a taxi driver spotted the blood-stained Cooper stumbling up the street and they subsequently followed the blood trail to a chipper, where they examined the CCTV footage. Lavelle (32) originally from Swinford in Mayo but with an address at Basin Street, Dublin 8 has 64 previous convictions. The Irish Times report that Lavelle was in custody on another issue when he brought up the attack on Na Fianna clubman Cooper: “How was the Dublin footballer? Who was stabbed? Was it Jonny Cooper? Was it a random attack or did they know he played for Dublin?” Lavelle received a six-year sentence back in 2011, with the last 18 months suspended, following a crime spree in Ballina to fuel his drug habit. All Star nominee Cooper said he is constantly looking over his shoulder in wake of the attack.