INTERVIEW: Jordan Flynn on importance of Mayo support in final
Crossmolina’s finest were sparkling as Croke Park became the scene of All-Ireland fairytales
WHAT must it feel like to be Jordan Flynn. Whenever his head rests on his pillow after the celebrations eventually die down and the noise deadens, probably at some stage in 2027, he will look back at the surreal events of July 26, 2026.
That day, he and his brother, Kobe, kicked ball on the biggest stage of all. Now, having scaled the mountaintop in the maroon of Crossmolina Deel Rovers, he has repeated the trick on the day Sam Maguire was handed out. Jordan Flynn is an All-Ireland champion.
So many before had been left wanting, and have never had their moment in the sun. However, this day belongs to Flynn and that fateful band of brothers.
The moment where he and his star-boy sibling scaled the steps of the Hogan Stand and hoisted Sam aloft will be the talk around bars and fireplaces for all eternity.
However, for Flynn, he had seen it all in his mind long before running out in the great cathedral.
“I'd be big on manifestation and all that sort of stuff. This week, especially, it's been a big part of my thought process of getting to go up the steps with Kobe. You do dream of it, but you never know if it's going to come to the fore.
“When the final whistle went we knew we were going up the steps together. It was special now; it was class. We had an uncle that came home from Australia for the game. He came home yesterday. And, you know, it was nice to have everyone under the one roof and get to witness it. It's something special.”
One thing was clear from the second the team came onto the pitch. The Green and Red wave in all four corners of the stadium rowed in behind the side.
Such rabid and passionate support is essential in injecting another level to those souls on the battlefield, according to Flynn.
“The supporters could have gone either way after the Roscommon game. We were disappointed in ourselves, and they were obviously disappointed in us. But every one of them really got behind us.
“Up in Tyrone, up in Monaghan, against Meath. They travelled to Dublin three times in six weeks. Today I think they outnumbered Kerry. They were phenomenal for us.”
This may be the last time we see Flynn and McDonald soldier on the Mayo battlefield for some time, with the corner forward bound for pastures new on the other side of the globe.
However, those precious moments where the pair sat on the Croke Park turf and took it all in in their own little world will last until long after they kick their final ball.
“It was definitely surreal. We were both kind of talking to each other.
“Obviously, when you think about these things, you think of tears and emotions and everything like that. But we were both very relaxed.
“It's just a relief. It's everything that kind of comes with it. And I suppose the next few days will take their own turn and then it'll start to sink in.”