Paul Flynn (born 17 December 1974) is an Irish former hurler who played as a left wing-forward at senior level for the Waterford county team. He joined the team in 1993 and was a regular member of the starting fifteen until his retirement in 2008.
Flynn is Waterford's top championship scorer of all-time. He has won three Munster winners' medals, one National League winners' medal and one All-Star award. He ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.
At club level Flynn is a one-time Munster medalist with Ballygunner. In addition to this he has won eight county club championship medals.
Also a player of association football, Flynn also won schoolboy international caps as a soccer goalkeeper will being a trainee with Aston Villa he also played a season with Waterford United in the League of Ireland.
A former manager of the Carlow under-21 hurling team, Flynn is currently a selector with the Waterford under-21 hurling team.
Flynn won a GUI senior cup medal in 2014 with Tramore in Carton House, Maynooth.
The hurling 20/20 committee released their recommendations on 6 January 2015 Flynn was part of The group set up by GAA President Liam O'Neill.
Playing career
Club
Flynn plays his club hurling with the Ballygunner club in Waterford.
In 1992 Flynn was still a minor when he won his first county club championship medal following a 1–12 to 2–7 defeat of Mount Sion. It was the club's first title in twenty-four years.
Ballygunner surrendered their club title the following year, but were back in the final again in 1995 to face Mount Sion. Flynn played in a match that finished all square but missed Ballygunner's 3–13 to 1–17 replay victory due to suspension, having been sent off in an under-21 match between the drawn match and the replay. It was the first of three county final victories in-a-row for Ballygunner, defeating Lismore in 1996 and Passage in 1997.
Four club titles in-a-row proved beyond Ballygunner; however, the club recovered in 1999, with Flynn winning a fifth county championship medal following a five-point defeat of old rivals Mount Sion.
After a defeat by Mount Sion in the championship decider in 2000, Flynn secured a sixth championship medal in 2001 when Ballygunner accounted for Lismore. He later claimed a Munster winners' medal after his club accounted for Blackrock in the provincial final.
After the high of winning the provincial title Ballygunner went on to lose three club championship finals in succession. They broke this unenviable record at the fourth attempt with Flynn winning a seventh county championship medal following a 2–10 to 1–12 defeat of De La Salle.
Ballygunner lost two further finals in succession before Flynn won his eight championship medal in 2009 following a one-point defeat of Lismore after a draw and a replay.
Inter-county
Flynn first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Waterford minor and under-21 teams. In 1992, he won a Munster medal in the minor grade following an exciting two-game saga with provincial kingpins Tipperary. Waterford later qualified for the All-Ireland final, however, Galway were far superior on the day and had an easy 1–13 to 2–4 victory.
That same year saw Flynn play a key role with the Waterford under-21 team. He came on as a substitute to win a Munster medal in that grade before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. Offaly provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game ended in a draw. The replay saw Waterford take the title by 0–12 to 2–3 and Flynn collected an All-Ireland under-21 medal.
Flynn added a second Munster under-21 title to his collection in 1994, however, there would be no further All-Ireland success.
Flynn's performances at underage levels brought him to the attention of the senior selectors and he made his senior debut in the 1993 championship. It was a less than auspicious start to Flynn's hurling career as Waterford were defeated by the minnows of Kerry in the opening round of the Munster championship. It was one of the lowest points in Waterford hurling.
In 1998 Flynn played in his first Munster final in the senior grade. Waterford held All-Ireland champions Clare to a draw in the Munster final, however, the Decies lost the replay. Flynn's side later faced Kilkenny in what would be the county's first All Ireland semi final appearance in Croke Park since 1963. Kilkenny won by a single point.