Bernard Flynn Out for 1993 - keeping fingers crossed for 1994. His injury is a severe setback to Meath's prospects. Comparisons with Mickey Sheehy are fully justified. Saturday, November 7th, 1992. Bernard Flynn would normally expect to be at his busiest in his Albany Paint shop in Dominick Street, Mullingar. His Saturday afternoon customers would have been attempting to match various shades and designs of wallpaper or questioning the merits of various paint products. The shop's logo reads "Seeing is Believing", a description which could easily describe some of the footballing feats of the Meathman over the past eight years. The conversation in the shop seldom stops at the intricate subjects of wallpaper and paint. In Mullingar, Bernard is more than a businessman. In his first year with the local Shamrocks club, the county senior football title was reclaimed from Athlone and the Meathman played a leading role in their march to glory. But on this November afternoon he is many miles away from his workplace ... in Aughrim, Co. Wicklow helping the Shamrocks towards a much sought Leinster Club title. Baltinglass, the All-Ireland champions of 1990, provide the opposition and the Mullingarmen have more than advancement in the competition at the back of their minds. Two years previous, the Shamrocks were the victims of a bad refereeing decision in their game against Baltinglass at Newbridge. It cost them a draw, at least. And that was before Bernard Flynn and Bill Sex joined the Shamrocks' ranks. Yes, the Westmeath champions had every reason to be confident about the outcome of their clash with the Wicklowmen. Their hopes were further enhanced by the suspicion that 'Balto' were no longer the force that they were. It was suspicion that was later proved to be well founded. And, largely due to the influence of Bernard Flynn, it was on it's way to being proven in Aughrim on November 7th. The double All Star (1987 and 1991) had already scored 2-2 and was giving the opposing defence a difficult time. Early in the second half a ball was directed towards Flynn and his marker, corner back Tom O'Donoghue. Using both fists, the defender managed to get the ball away, but Flynn lay on the ground writhing in agony. In those awful moments, his world was shattered, as were Mullingar's hopes of Leinster Championship success. The star attacker was stretchered off, and brought by ambulance to Loughlinstown Hospital. He was later removed to Navan's Orthopedic Unit where, on the Sunday evening, he underwent a lengthy operation, under surgeon Joe McGrath. Severe damage to the cruciate and medial ligaments as well as to the kneecap was the prognosis and Bernard's football career was in grave doubt. Ten days later, he was home in Mullingar with only a slim prospect of playing football again. Meanwhile, controversy raged. Was the Meathman deliberately taken out of the game? A special meeting of the Leinster Council was convened to consider the referee's report and also the video of the match. Eventually, Baltinglass were exonerated, and the incident deemed an accident. The Leinster Council wished Bernard Flynn a speedy recovery. The player himself has refused to comment on the incident or, indeed, the decision of the Leinster Council. If he's bitter about it, he conceals his emotions well. It is now two months since the game and the knee is still causing him much discomfort and pain. The injury will only allow him about four inches of movement from the leg and he currently wears a hinge type brace on it. He has to sit with the leg resting and although he is now driving, he is still walking with a very noticeable limp. Will be play football again? "I am definitely out for 1993, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I may be able to return next year. You have to be optimistic and yes, I have every intention of playing football again. The knee is badly messed up inside and is extremely stiff and sore." A daily exercise routine lasting one and a half hours has been prescribed and will eventually help to get Bernard back to full fitness but, at this stage, there are no guarantees. Quite simply, as the man himself suggests, it's a matter of keeping the fingers crossed. While not wishing to comment on the incident, Bernard Flynn is more outspoken on the issue of footballers' insurance cover. Being self employed certainly appears to increase the financial risks for modern day footballers and he is adamant that the GAA needs to review and improve this aspect. "Enough sacrifices are mad by today's players as it is. The least we are entitled to is comprehensive insurance cover." The news that Flynn hopes to be back for the 1994 championship will be welcomed by supporters of Meath and of Mullingar Shamrocks. Corner backs throughout the country, while welcoming his return to full health, will undoubtedly be more hesitant about welcoming him back to the field of play. Over the past eight years, he has been the bane of the best No. 2s in the county and was quick to step into the void created by the retirement of Mickey Sheehy as the game's top corner forward. That situation could not have been predicted ten years ago. Flynn enjoyed success-laden underage career with his club St. Colmcilles from Meath's coastal strip of Laytown and Bettystown, but it was Robbie O'Malley who was deemed "the most likely to succeed". "Too small" was the cognescentis verdict on Bernard, even when he was called onto the senior panel in the autumn of 1983. The verdict still applied a year later, despite Meath's famous Centenary Cup success. It began to change favourably when the Leinster championship was reclaimed after a sixteen year barren spell in 1986, a victory which still provided the corner forward with the most memorable occasion of his career. (Incidentally, this is a view which is shared by practically all members of that Meath team). In 1985 and 1986, Flynn turned in a series of remarkable performances for the county's under 21 side, in the process establishing himself as one of the most promising forwards in the game. His arrival at maturity in football terms was sealed by the All-Ireland victory in 1987 and his selection as an All Star in the same year. The O'Rourke-Stafford-Flynn full forward line in the process of succeeding the great Kerry line of Sheey-Liston and Egan. Another All-Ireland title in 1988 further underlined the prowess of Meath's remarkable full forward line, but Flynn lost out on his All Star award by being sent off with Dave Synnott of Dublin in a league game in Pairc Tailteann. A pattern was emerging. Synnott was only one of a number of corner backs who found themselves taking early showers as a result of their efforts to shackle the Meathman. Twice in the 1991 Leinster championship, twice in the 1992 Westmeath championship, frustration spilled over and Flynn's 'markers' were dismissed. But how do you mark Bernard Flynn? It's to Down's great credit that they won the 1991 All-Ireland final despite the fact that their corner back, Brendan McKernan, was taken to the cleaners. Six points sailed over from Flynn's boot in one of his best ever display for the Royal County. But to no avail! From Sean Boylan's point of view, the injury could not have come at a worse time. On the previous Sunday, Flynn was Meath's match-winner against Monaghan in the National League. Allied to his performances for Mullingar, the signs were that he was on top of his form and, as Colm O'Rourke wrote, "the most serious loss in Meath's restructuring is Bernard Flynn, because natural scoring forwards of his calibre are simply impossible to replace, especially as his last performance against Monaghan in the league was one of his best ever." One of his best ever represents an enormous tribute. It would be difficult to pick out his best game. Was it against Offaly in the 1986 Leinster under 21 championship (all of Meath's total)? Was it for St. Colmcilles against Dunderry in the replayed 1988 intermediate final when e scored 1-10 out of 1-11? Was it against Donegal in the All-Ireland semi final of 1990 or against Down in the 1991 All-Ireland final? Can Meath adequately replace him in 1993? The answer is almost certainly not, and with doubts about Colm O'Rourke's plans, Meath will most likely be without two of their lethal three-man-strike-force. Their absence along with the definite retirement of Liam Hayes will considerably weaken the Royal County's challenge for honours in 1993. The team management will be delighted, as will Meath supporters, that Flynn is doing everything possible to hasten the day when he will don the green and gold once more. His are just one of the thousands of crossed fingers at the moment in Meath's football world. Bernard Flynn was born in County Limerick in June 1965. He moved to Meath aged six and learned his football with St. Colmcilles club in Laytown-Bettystown. His father played with the Clogherinkoe club in Kildare and two cousins, Gerry Carroll and Pat Flynn, played with Offaly and Kildare respectively. He has a clean sweep of club medals, junior and intermediate with St. Colmcilles and senior in 1992 with Mullingar Shamrocks. With Meath, he has won two All-Ireland senior football championships, two National Football Leagues, five Leinster senior football championships, one Leinster under 21 football championship, one Centenary cup and two all Star awards in 1987 and 1991. Taken from Hogan Stand magazine 15th January 1993 Tweet

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