Mayo star dedicates award to brother in classy speech
In his debut season with Mayo, it was a special year for Kobe McDonald while he helped Andy Moran’s side claim the Sam Maguire for the first time since 1951
On Friday evening, Kobe McDonald became the youngest ever player to claim an All-Star award. At the age of 18, the Crossmolina talent secured an award along with Mayo teammates Sam Callinan, Enda Hession, Jack Carney, Ryan O’Donoghue and Darragh Beirne.
Speaking to broadcaster Meghan Scully at the event in Dublin, McDonald said “It's a special night to be fair. A lot of these boys I've watched my whole life growing up, they're some of my heroes. Looking around there to be in a panel, with the likes of Conn Kilpatrick and Jason Foley and that’s not to mention Ryan O’Donoghue, Jack Carney, all my boys. It's pretty cool.”
The teen recently received his Leaving Cert results in recent weeks as he explained the special year. “it's been a bit of a whirlwind, all right. Probably wasn't on the cards at the start of the year. I didn't think I'd be here claiming an award or anything, I still have to pinch myself a bit that I'm going to be going up there to get it. I don't read into it too much, obviously. It's just an outlook on what my family and my club have been able to do for me. I wouldn't be here without them, it's pretty cool for them more so than me.”
The young humble man also spoke highly of Louth’s Dara McDonnell and Mayo’s Darragh Beirne who were also nominated for the Young Footballer of The Year award. “Being even nominated with the likes of Dara McDonnell and Berne is incredible. I have so much admiration for both of them. Dara’s going to be one of the faces of the GAA in the future and then I could talk all evening about Beirne. Probably my best friend in football, he’s going to be the face of Mayo GAA for the next 15 odd years, going to claim many more of these awards and probably Footballer of the Year in the future. So, to even be talked about in the same conversation as them two, it means I'm doing something right.”
The young man who is signed with AFL side St Kilda then spoke about his brother Jordan Flynn. “I think he's probably the most hard done by player in the country to not claim an All-Star tonight. The one that I'm winning is as much his as it is mine. I wouldn't be the person I am today without him. So, I'm just happy that an All-Star is going to our house. Don't think it matters whose name is on it, to be able to bring that home is special for me.”