Interview: Neil Flynn fully-fit, focused and raring to go for Kildare's 2023 season

Neil Flynn made his debut for Kildare in the opening Allianz Football League game of 2016 under manager Cian O'Neill, a game Kildare defeated Westmeath and while the Maynooth man did not get on the score sheet that day it was the start of what has been to-date a very successful six years.

Neil intially played under Cian O'Neill, then Jack O'Connor and now facing into a new season under Glenn Ryan.

Like all players (and supporters) Neil admits 2022 was a very disappointing season, both from a League and Championship point of view while from a personal angle, having gone through a very tough season in 2021, Flynn, was very much hampered last year with a number of injuries, a combination of knocks picked up along the way that eventually simply caught up on him.

“I carried an injury into the start of 2022, missed pre-season and was basically playing catch-up for the rest of the year.”

Neil admitted that he felt Kildare put in some very good performances in the League and “there was just a kick of a ball in it in the end that saw us relegated on the last day of the league, literally with the last kick of the ball but it really shouldn't have come down to that.”

The championship of course was another hugely disappointing affair with Kildare conceding five first half goals against Dublin in the Leinster final.

“The dressing room was not a nice place to be at half-time” added the free scoring corner forward; we were certainly hurting and that's for sure.”

That hurt still there?

“We have done an awful of work on that; have done a lot of chatting about it and we really want to try and put that right.”

Would that game be on your mind come Saturday?

“We will focus on Saturday's game and the task in hand; the same opposition; the same venue; so we will definitely be looking to right a few wrongs.”

Having said that the Maynooth man said there are a lot of games in the League, they will be coming thick and fast so we will have lots of chances but we will take it one game at a time; Cork are up the following week but we are not looking beyond Saturday, all our focus is on Dublin and we will then look at Cork once that is out of the way and so on after that.”

Division 2 will be tough, admits Neil but “if we can get a bit of momentum and can go a long way but as I say we will be taking one game at a time, not looking more forward that the next game”

Back in after a bit of a break, the pre-season, tough going?

“This is really the first season the split season has fully come into effect, so I had a good break after the club championship, before the commencement of the pre-season and by the time that came around, personally I was really looking forward to it; having had that bit of a break; a break I had not had previously, so really ready to go; injury free having got on top of a few issues and knocks I had last year.”

Any changes in the pre-season this time around say from last year?

“Not particularly, we keep performances indicators; we have KPIs (key performance indicator) that we have to hit and they can vary game-to-

game but we are putting a huge emphasis on performances and have our pillars on which we need to perform by and if we can do them then the results should look after themselves but it terms of preparation we are all working as hard as we can.”

STRENGTH IN DEPTH

Neil believes that the strength in depth in the panel, especially up front, is stronger that he has ever experienced.

“Just look at the names it s just incredible, which is brilliant, it pushes everyone on; if you are in the starting fifteen and are not performing up to standard for what ever reason, then you know there are others there who will then get their chance, their opportunity but it is really brilliant, something that we have not had when I came on the scene at first up front; everyone there now is well worth their place on the panel and everyone and anyone can step in on the day, and I really mean that, but just look at the lads that are there, all top quality players.”

Kildare had been in Hawkfield for the fourth evening on the trot when we met last week, whether in the gym, training on the pitch; meetings, every day, so a huge commitment?

“Absolutely, but it puts a great structure on it; it means so much to represent your county and while most probably don't see the work we put in away from the game day but everyone here loves it; if we were asked to be here seven days week I think we would.”

Neil admits that playing for your county really means you are a 24/7 athlete, you maybe here something like 20 per cent of the time but really your entire life-style is all around training, recovering, proper sleeping all the things you have to do at this level.”

Neil has recently moved to Rathoath but says it is not too farther than Maynooth. He travels straight from work in the city centre to training in Hawkfield ; a sales rep for Bulmers (C&C) and admits that it is a bit a bit of a extra spin “but not too bad.”

SPLIT SEASON

Neil admits that the split season means that he and the rest of the lads are solely focused now on the county scene and he is a firm believer the split season is a very positive development.

“Brilliant, because of the split season now there is no sort of club scene; there was a time when April it was the club first and then into inter-county championship so it was tough when you had to play club championship first, I like the way it is now.

“It is also great for the club players, they know exactly when their season starts and then when the county is over we integrate back into the club scene, all brilliant.

“I think the split season has been a really great success and it is great for the club lads whomake up the vast majority of players.