'Through everything, we've always stuck together' – Jordan Flynn reflects on Crossmolina's All-Ireland win

IT hasn't always been easy for Jordan Flynn or Crossmolina. He came out on the wrong end of three All-Ireland finals with Mayo, but now he's the winner of county, provincial and All-Ireland silverware with a club that has been through hell.

On Sunday afternoon, when Mikie Loftus reached for a heaven that had already descended on every man and woman in maroon and white, there were few happier men than Flynn, who knows the stinging taste of defeat all too well.

“This is one of the best days of my footballing career, and to be honest it's up there with one of the best days of my life,” Flynn told The Mayo News.

“ It's unforgettable, it's unmatched. It's all the emotions you'd expect it to be, plus ten. It's unbelievable, it's absolutely class. The way it went in the end it was probably meant to be.”

Though he fought to his last breath, Flynn genuinely believed yet another All-Ireland final had gone amiss in injury time.

Then Stephen Duffy – who had been instructed not to shoot before he was introduced to the fray a few minutes earlier – charged forth and won a penalty. A miss would have lost an All-Ireland, a point would have forced extra-time, and a goal would win the greatest prize of them all. Enter Conor Loftus.

“I couldn't watch it. I knew he'd score but I couldn't watch it. I had full confidence in him” said Flynn before recalling a funny memory.

WATCH: 'He stepped up when we needed him most' - Crossmolina captain praises Conor Loftus

“We used to go taking them after training, I'd score the odd one with no keeper. I used to tell him if anything ever happens to him I'll take the penalties, and he's like 'If the leg is falling off me I'm not going to let you take the penalty.' I was going to tell him I was available to take one today, but I'd say now I'd have gotten a stern talking to.”

The world and its mother will forever more praise the inspirational Conor Loftus, and rightly so. But no one on Earth is prouder of him today than the people that really know him, like his intercounty teammate Flynn.

“I've been with Lofty for a long time. I probably got a lot closer to him since I went in with Mayo because he was obviously a step above me in terms of the way he looks after himself. He is the ultimate professional,” said Flynn.

“We were training together together over lockdown we got very close. We've had some good days together, we've had some bad days together as well. We had the 2020 All-Ireland, 2021, the Connacht final this year but just the way he has been for us with the club this year has just been exceptional. Even with Mayo he was coming on and he was always making an impact for us.”

The praise did not end there.

“Without him this year, we wouldn't have gotten out of Mayo. We wouldn't have won the Mayo championship, let alone the All-Ireland. It's a credit to him and his family and everyone around him that it was meant to be for him. I'd never be as happy for a man in my life.”

What a personal journey it's been for Flynn. He made national headlines when he was sent off for an altercation with a referee in the 2018 All-Ireland U-20 final and suffered further All-Ireland final heartbreak as a Mayo senior in 2020 and 2021.

“There have been a lot of bad days, but today will top everything no matter what happens in my career. I see what it means to my family, I see what it means to everyone's family and then obviously everything that's happened it's just the way everyone has come together, the club is just a life for everyone,” said Flynn.

“We're all together and we've all soldiered on throughout the year, ups and downs, there's been a lot of things that have happened throughout the year. Not just the couple of weeks. People have lost family member and a lot of boys have had babies. In good times and bad times we've always stuck together.”

The last time Crossmolian won an All-Ireland, a young Jordan Flynn missed the homecoming after he broke his leg running after a bus. He's older and bigger now, and surely a bit wiser?

“I'm under strict orders to not walk behind any buses or not walk out in front of any cars!” smiled the tattooed midfielder. “I think Mum now will be sick if she has to bring me down to Sligo every Monday again to teach me how to walk. There'll be no buses and everyone will be watching me for cars.”

This time, he'll be on the team bus, rather than following it, with a smile as broad as the Deel.

History both rhymes and repeats for the people of Crossmolina. 

WATCH: Incredible scenes as All-Ireland champions come home