Flynn insists it’s not feasible for the GAA to go semi-pro

KILDARE football star Daniel Flynn is not a fan of inter-county GAA heading in the direction of semi-professionalism despite more and more players opting out at different stages due to its increasing demands.

Flynn took a year out from the Lilies’ fold in 2019 having admitted that he “was giving out every night going to training” after falling out of love with the game in the previous year.

The 26-year-old has returned for 2020 under new boss Jack O’Connor but he understands why other high-profile names like Tipperary’s Michael Quinlivan and Cavan duo Dara McVeety and Killian Clarke have opted out, although he doesn’t feel that going semi-pro is a solution.

“I wouldn’t like to see it go semipro. I don’t know whether it’s feasible. There would have to be a lot of changes in terms of different teams and different structures. I don’t think I’d like it to go semi-pro,” Flynn said. “It’s been going on the last couple of years (players opting out). Lads have been taking breaks and it will stay happening if the pressure keeps going up and up.

“It’s kind of a race to the bottom or who can sacrifice the most, then I’d say it will definitely start picking up. Because lads have a lot going on in their lives, with work and family.”

Meanwhile, Michael Duignan is excited at the prospect of “uniting Offaly GAA after this challenging campaign” having been elected as Faithful chairman, usurping Tommy Byrne from the job on Tuesday night.

“I’m looking forward to working with the incoming management committee, the county board, the Offaly clubs and our schools... everybody else, all our stakeholders. I just now want to unite Offaly GAA after this challenging campaign,” he said.

“Meeting every club in Offaly has inspired me and motivated me for the future of Offaly GAA. The response we got, the people we met, the ideas people have and the passion there for the future is fantastic.”