Dual player with a single mandate

IT is difficult to locate a corner-back who doesn’t think that he would be capable of seamlessly slotting in higher up the field. Critically evaluating their attacking colleagues, from a distance, can lead to corner-backs thinking they could do an offensive job if only their manager would give them a run up front.
Now we must be clear and state unequivocally that St Joseph’s Sean Flynn, a recognised defender, made no such claims. Not verbally at least. Yet, when he was shunted from corner-back to centre-forward for St Joseph’s must-win group game against Shannon Gaels, he turned in a superb performance. It was a good day for frustrated corner-backs. Actions speak louder than words. This was a corner-back who knew what he was doing in what should have been an alien role.
“It makes a change from spending 60 minutes pulling lads’ jerseys,” is how Flynn contrasts playing centre-forward to corner-back.
On the off-chance that a corner-back doesn’t add to his team’s attack, there is always the safety net; put them back where they came from. So Flynn is not going to clap himself on the back too many times, knowing that a less impressive cameo leading the attack would soon have people asking what is a corner-back doing playing centre-forward?
Unfortunately, Flynn missed St Joseph’s semi-final win over Wolfe Tones but is now pushing for a recall. Anywhere will do on county final day, even corner-back.
“I picked up a bit of a knock playing against Monaleen in a challenge before the Doonbeg game. Then I pulled the hamstring against Doonbeg. Two weeks was touch and go to make the Wolfe Tones game. I was fairly right but not 100% right so we called it that I wouldn’t start it. Fortunately enough it worked out and I’m happy enough now I can continue working on it and trying to get it back to 100%,” he explained.
A second-year medicine graduate programme student at the College of Surgeons, Flynn is based full time in Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.
“It’s a full-on commitment. The football is more of a break than anything else but there’s no problem in balancing the two of them. There hasn’t really been any conflict,” he said.
Last week, Flynn drove from Dublin for training in Gurteen, before returning to Dublin that night. That was a once-off though, with the county final just 10 days away.
“We said we’d make the effort last week. Normally, myself and Gavin O’Sullivan would train away up around Stillorgin. We just said we’d come back last week. Most of the time it has been at weekends and the boys have been fairly flexible with it,” he explained.
Twelve months ago, Liscannor reached the county final, having won just a single group match. They set a trend that St Joseph’s have followed.
“We started at a fairly low ebb both on and off the field. We were fortunate in that we were only scoring difference away from being in relegation but we’ve driven on since the last game in the group. All that any team needs is to get on a roll. We’ve been fortunate enough, so hopefully now we can keep the good form up,” Flynn added.
Recognised as a ‘hurling first’ dual club, the current St Joseph’s senior football team has been taking shape for several years.
“It wouldn’t really be any secret that hurling always was number one in the club but we have had quite a bit of underage success in the football, with the minors last year and the U-21 in 2008. I’m 24 now and a lot of the guys are around that age group. We won a Féile U-14 and we won an U-16A and went on to win the U-21. So there has been good work done at underage with the football and that’s continuing. With the hurling we’ve kind of stagnated over the last few years. Trying to bring more younger guys onto the hurling team didn’t quite work out for us this year, although we started well enough and had a good result back in May in the championship,” Flynn reflected.
“Things were going the opposite way in the football. We lost against Miltown but there has been a change in approach and even a change of attitude since we played Cratloe. We didn’t really attack it that day. Since the Shannon Gaels game there has been more positivity and intensity in our play,” the dual player said.
Since Niall White’s untimely death, St Joseph’s have had to play without one of their best friends. Dealing with that has been much more demanding than merely playing football.
“I think we kind of embraced the fact that it was not like we were going out to do it for Niall or anything like that. You can’t really make things into a crusade. Just go out and do your best. Niall never held back and that’s the main thing that we should take on. He was our best friend but we can’t get held up on that. There’s not a lot really you can say about it. Just take it as any other normal game. Whitey would never play with any restrictions,” is Flynn’s take on life without their friend.
As for county final experience, Flynn was part of the 2004 St Joseph’s senior hurling county final panel. He was a sub that day but hopes to be featuring from the off on Sunday.
While the club hasn’t featured in a senior county final since, their facilities in Gurteen are amongst the most impressive in Ireland. The club is now keen to add silverware to their top-class structural development.
“There’s no question, it would only be viewed as a massive step forward for the club if we win it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s hurling or football. If you’re having success, that breeds success elsewhere,” is Flynn’s summation of where St Joseph’s stand.