SIX-TIME ALL-IRELAND winner Paul Flynn will not be a part of Dublin’s five-in-a-row bid after confirming his retirement from inter-county football.
The Fingallians forward, 32, missed a large part of the 2018 campaign following back surgery and has struggled to return to full fitness.
“While my heart says play on, unfortunately my body says it’s time to call it a day,” he announced in a statement on Wednesday morning.
Over the course of a magnificent career in blue, Flynn also won 10 Leinster senior football titles and four National Football League titles.
His individual performances were recognised with four successive All-Star awards from 2011 to 2014 — the first Dublin footballer to be selected on the All-Star team for four straight years.
In June 2018, he was appointed as the chief executive of the Gaelic Players Association, replacing Dermot Earley.
“After 12 proud years wearing the Dublin jersey I have made the difficult decision to step away from the Dublin football panel,” Flynn said in a statement this morning.
“It’s an enormous privilege to play for your county and I feel incredibly lucky and proud that I got to play for Dublin for as long as I have. Dublin football has played a huge part in my life and I will be forever grateful for all that it has given me.
“I was honoured to train and play alongside exceptional teammates week in week out, to have enjoyed the support of extraordinary managers over the years and to have had the support of dedicated, world class backroom teams. I’m grateful for all that they’ve taught me over the years and for the lifelong friendships that I made along the way. My football career started and ended with the support of my club, my family and my friends and to them I am eternally grateful.
“Since my back surgery last year I’ve struggled to reach the fitness required for inter county and to reach the standards that I set for myself. While my heart says play on unfortunately my body says it’s time to call it a day.
“I’ve loved every minute of my journey with Dublin football and to have played in front of its dedicated and passionate supporters has allowed me to make memories that I will cherish forever. I move on now with gratitude to the next chapter of my life.”
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He must really not like his brother.
Think it’s just good retirement planning by the parents. He signs his brother to take over the carers role.
A head scratcher if ever there was one.
Hate to slate a loyal servant but, it makes sense he allowed John afoa to go to Gloucester then.
Does make you wonder!
Not at all, that was a done deal long ago and Gloucester on sacked their present director last week.
NO ONE saw this coming, a real shocker!
Wow, I did not see that one coming! He was Mr Ulster, and I wouldn’t imagine he was anywhere near completing his objectives he had outlined with Ulster. Still, we should be able to attract a top class director. Conor O’Shea?
Big of a shock especially after the transformation that has happened up in Ulster the last few years…maybe he felt he couldn’t take them on any further?
Head coach
Mark Mc Call?
Not so strange. Frustration at the lack of success. By moving to Gloucester is he saying this is as far as I can take Ulster at this time? Is he saying that the powers that be do not share his ambition? What does Gloucester offer that he cannot achieve with Ulster? Shane Logan’s comments are curious, particularly regarding development as Ulster has a single representative in U20 in the junior world cup and a senior squad that can beat the best in Europe but has no trophies. Has the wrong man left Ulster?
That’s a strange one didn’t see that coming,are you any relation to charlize theron?
Hope it’s not a sign of things to come with the new financial clout of the premiership & top14 deals. I had worried about losing players but managers & directors are just as important.
Is it because there are simply too many too comfortable in their roles at Ulster paying lip service to sharing the vision or is it because he has read which way the financial wind is blowing?
Sad day for Ulster Rugby. Brilliant player, captain and leader. He spotted and attracted the best players and brought them to Belfast.
After 91 years you just can’t write off Ravenhill and its rugby history despite new stadium name. More to this story.
But can they afford to let ambition walk out the door?
If David was the director of rugby what was the title for Mark Anscombe ?
Coach
It was probably in the works for a while, but just officially announced today, in case it was a distraction during the tail end of the season. Real surprise though