SIX-TIME ALL-IRELAND winner Paul Flynn will not be a part of Dublin’s five-in-a-row bid after confirming his retirement from inter-county football. 

The Fingallians forward, 32, missed a large part of the 2018 campaign following back surgery and has struggled to return to full fitness. 

“While my heart says play on, unfortunately my body says it’s time to call it a day,” he announced in a statement on Wednesday morning.

Over the course of a magnificent career in blue, Flynn also won 10 Leinster senior football titles and four National Football League titles.

His individual performances were recognised with four successive All-Star awards from 2011 to 2014 — the first Dublin footballer to be selected on the All-Star team for four straight years.

In June 2018, he was appointed as the chief executive of the Gaelic Players Association, replacing Dermot Earley.

“After 12 proud years wearing the Dublin jersey I have made the difficult decision to step away from the Dublin football panel,” Flynn said in a statement this morning.

“It’s an enormous privilege to play for your county and I feel incredibly lucky and proud that I got to play for Dublin for as long as I have. Dublin football has played a huge part in my life and I will be forever grateful for all that it has given me.

“I was honoured to train and play alongside exceptional teammates week in week out, to have enjoyed the support of extraordinary managers over the years and to have had the support of dedicated, world class backroom teams. I’m grateful for all that they’ve taught me over the years and for the lifelong friendships that I made along the way. My football career started and ended with the support of my club, my family and my friends and to them I am eternally grateful.

“Since my back surgery last year I’ve struggled to reach the fitness required for inter county and to reach the standards that I set for myself. While my heart says play on unfortunately my body says it’s time to call it a day.

“I’ve loved every minute of my journey with Dublin football and to have played in front of its dedicated and passionate supporters has allowed me to make memories that I will cherish forever. I move on now with gratitude to the next chapter of my life.”

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