Flanagan confirms Flynn's return to Kildare squad
Neil Flynn is tackled by Monaghan's Gary Mohan and Ryan O'Toole on last appearance for Kildare in 2023 Photo: ©INPHO/Ken Sutton
Brian Flanagan confirmed today and Neil Flynn is back in training with the Kildare squad and that he is contention for a panel in the squad for the Tailteann Cup final against Limerick.
The Maynooth forward, who turned 30 last month, has trained for the last week and travelled with the panel to Croke Park for today’s semi-final against Fermanagh.
“Neil is a fella who I have been in touch with a good bit in the last couple of months when he was on his travels,” said Flanagan.
He’s looked after himself very well when he was away, he was playing a bit of football in Sydney. We asked him if he wanted to join up and he did, and to be honest he’s added a bit straight away in training this week. We’ll see how the next three weeks go but he’s very much part of the squad now,” added the Kildare manager.
Like Jack Robinson, who spoke recently about his desire to return to the Kildare squad for the 2026 season, Flynn last played for Kildare in the final game of the 2023 season when under the management of Glenn Ryan they were beaten by Monaghan in Tullamore.
Since returning to Ireland, Flynn has quickly returned to action and got a game under his belt for his club during their defeat to Celbridge on Saturday evening.
Flanagan had always said that the door was open to players like Flynn should they return from their travels and he said that the rest of the squad have welcomed him back with open arms.
“We’re in our first year as a management and we would have spoken with a lot of fellas who have gone travelling and fellas who have stepped away in the last few years. We’ve brought as many of them back in as we could. We made it clear to the likes of Neil who was travelling that if he was to be back at any stage of the season and was in good shape and he was happy to come back in that we would. Neil is a very popular fella amongst the panel as well, which is important. He’s come back in and added to the energy, lads are delighted to have. I think everybody in Kildare knows the quality that he has. It will be interesting to see how the next three weeks go for him,” said Flanagan.
On the injury front ahead of the final, Flanagan said that he expects Callum Bolton, who was an unused substitute today, and Ryan Houlihan to be available but it will be touch and go for Ben McCormack and Jimmy Hyland as to whether they will back make it back.
