Flynn says Dubs not taking Westmeath challenge lightly

In sport, not just the GAA, routines are sacrosanct.

Though methods vary, each individual has their own procedure they rigidly follow before a game.

Dublin’s Paul Flynn is no exception.

The league winners face their first championship hurdle this Saturday and Flynn (inset) will adhere to a routine that has served him well in recent years.

“I have my own little routine and I don’t really like to change it. If it’s not broken why fix it?,” he contests.

“The template is always the same. The morning of a game I like to go for a bit of a walk just to clear my head. There’s a graveyard just around the corner and there’s a few people close to me there who have passed away recently and I just go down and have a chat with them. It calms you down a little bit.”

The Dubs have enlisted Bernard Dunne as sports performance coach to help them maximise their potential. And it’s not an alien concept, with Sunday’s opponents doing similarly with Paralympic champion Mark Rohan.

Throughout the league Dublin played an expansive game but few are expecting them to continue the gung-ho style for the championship. Not Flynn though.

“We play an offensive style of football. We’re not neglecting our defensive duties either; I suppose it’s about finding a balance. It would be nice to do well with this [attacking style] and football might take a bit of u-turn.”

Despite many expecting the Dubs to steamroll their opposition, Flynn expects Westmeath to raise their game in Croke Park.

“This is a big day out for Westmeath, they’re coming to Croke Park and that can raise their game. We’re a little bit used to it so it’s not so much a buzz for us. They can just go out there, throw the kitchen sink at us and that’s what we are expecting,” he reasoned.