Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the defendant was a “fortunate man” because he could have been facing a life sentence had Mr Cooper not survived the shooting.

McGovern is considered second in ranking to cartel leader Daniel Kinahan

Declan Brady was further sentenced to a nine-year prison term for facilitating the murder of Christopher (aka Noel) Kirwan

Noel Kirwan (62) was shot dead as he sat in his car outside his home in Clondalkin in December 2016

Bernadette Roe also revealed that she was in the car beside her partner Noel Kirwan when he was shot dead outside their home.

Michael Crotty (41) pleaded guilty to a new charge on Tuesday, having previously plead not guilty to facilitating the murder of Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan in 2016

Noel Kirwan, an innocent man who had no involvement in criminality, was shot dead because members of the Kinahan organisation mistakenly thought that he was connected to the Hutch organisation.

At a sitting of the Special Criminal Court on Friday Declan Brady, who is in custody for other offences, pleaded guilty to the single charge against him

The Drumlin-born criminal’s fate now hangs on an appeal against the decision his lawyer Jaime Campaner is expected to lodge in the coming days which will be ruled upon by more judges.