Flynn pleads case for Walsh and hints at ‘jealously’ of DCU
The Dublin forward is angered by critics of the north Dublin college.
“The point I’d make is that if the people who spend half their time putting DCU down, spent that time bringing the other colleges up it would be so much better for football as a whole, and college football.”
Cork midfielder Walsh has taken his case to the Disputes Resolution Authority this week to try and line out for DCU after being deemed ineligible due to a new rule which stops players who have enrolled in more than two college courses from representing a third level team.
Flynn feels the Kanturk man, who was previously enrolled at Cork IT, is the victim of a new measure that wasn’t thought through.
“Fingers crossed that they can let him off and see a bit of sense in the matter because it’s not nice to see a young lad like that not able to play college ball after doing a course for two or three months and not officially dropping out the way he should have done.
“I think the ruling that they brought in needs to be scrutinised a little bit further. I don’t think they looked into it too much before they brought it forward.”
Flynn also believes there are people in college GAA — and the Association as a whole — who are jealous of DCU’s success.
“It’s funny like, if you go to any other college in the country they’re paying players, they give them a scholarship and they get a cash scholarship. I know people who have got it.
“You don’t get anything like that in DCU. You get your gym membership and they might help you with your accommodation, but that’s about it.
“But people seem to think that you come to DCU and you get a wedge of cash, a new car and the whole lot when you come in the door. And it’s not like that one bit.
“That’s what annoys me about the stigma that’s out there about DCU. The first thing that I was told by (DCU manager and Professor) Niall Moyna was that, and you can quote me on this one, ‘your education comes first and everything else comes second’.
“It’s gas. There have been people who have tried to get into DCU and Niall had to tell them, ‘look, do your Leaving Cert again or do another course that could get you in’.
Flynn credits DCU with making him the player he is now — a back-to-back All Star.
“I would have no problems saying it, without DCU I wouldn’t be where I am. I can’t say I wouldn’t have won an All-Ireland but as a footballer that I’ve developed into, and I think a lot of players are the same.”
Flynn noted with interest Queens University pulling out of the McKenna Cup because five players made themselves available to their county instead.
With Jim Gavin having given him the freedom to line out for DCU, he counts himself fortunate not to be put into a similar situation.
He feels a rule should be introduced to take the decision out of the hands of college players who are on inter-county panels.
“I can understand both sides of what’s going on up there, inter-county lads getting forced to play by their inter-county manager, it’s a difficult one.”
Flynn lines out against Dublin in Parnell Park this evening for the second time in his career having faced them in the O’Byrne Cup six years ago.
He will do so in a cameo role as he recovers from an ab/groin problem.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said of lining out against Dublin.
“It’s weird but it’s early doors and I’m playing with my college, and that’s all that’s important at the moment, trying to get the preparation done for the Sigerson.”
