Galway football selector Alan Flynn has been heavily involved at the coalface of senior club football in the county over the past few years, guiding his club Tuam Stars to this year’s county final, and also with Caherlistrane.
Flynn was also a selector last season with the county u-21s that won the All-Ireland and he is now a key member of Alan Mulholland’s management team.
While slightly disappointed with the side’s narrow defeat to NUIG last Sunday in the FBD League, he is focusing on the bigger picture.
“Our hands are tied currently as regards picking some players due to college commitments, injuries, rehab, and taking a small break from inter-county action,” he said. “ That is a positive in some regards as we can give game time to a lot of other players to see what they can do. Getting to where we want to be will take time, patience, and hard work.
“We are not just looking at some of the players making the breakthrough to senior football with Galway this year. Some of the lads involved now are very young and we have no doubt that many of them have the potential to play senior with Galway. Whether that happens in 2012, or 2013, or whenever, remains to be seen.”
Flynn says many of the players who won All-Irelands in 2007 with the minors and 2011 with the u-21s will be in the mix over the next few years.
“No matter what panel is selected for the National Football League in February, we will be keeping a close eye on club and college football over the coming months. If there are players not on our provisional panel who are playing consistently well and at a high standard with their clubs, we will be asking them to come into the panel. We want to be fair to everyone and give people a reasonable opportunity to show what they can do and to see if they can hold their own at intercounty level.”
