Former Meath footballer Bernard Flynn has criticised Aidan O'Shea for taking 'photographs and selfies' with kids after a recent challenge game between Mayo and Meath.
The two-time All-Ireland winner was speaking on the RTÉ GAA Podcast along with Damian Lawlor and former Mayo footballer John Casey.
The trio discussed recent comments regarding O'Shea, including from Tomás Ó Sé who said the Mayo man was not in the same league as Michael Murphy. This was a sentiment with which Flynn agreed.
Flynn went on to relate a scene which he witnessed following the game between Mayo and Meath. As Mayo players stood in a huddle post-match, and later conducted a warm-down, O'Shea signed autographs and took some pictures with children who had been at the game.
Flynn suggested that O'Shea had 'singled himself out to be different'.
This is something small, but I thought it was huge and I'm going to share it. I actually wasn't going to but I'm going to do it.
Meath played Mayo in a challenge the week before last. I helped organise the challenge
At the very end of the match, the Mayo players got around in the circle. O’Shea had finished the match. There were 15-20 kids around, he signed autographs. The team was in a circle about ten yards away. No-one asked him to leave what he was doing, every other player was in a huddle, talking. He was left outside and allowed to do as he wanted.
That happened. He decided to come into the ring when all the photographs were finished, which I found absolutely incredible.
They did a warm-down and the same thing happened. The whole team did the warm-down and ten yards away, he proceeded to have photographs and selfies and whatnot. He was allowed to do his own thing.
I stood back in amazement with a few friends of mine that watched. A certain individual, who’s close to the Meath team, said, 'That’s exactly why Aidan O’Shea plays the way he does.'
It was incredible to see what happened, right in front of me. I just think there’s too much made of him and maybe he’s not just one of the players the way he should be.
I found it extraordinary what took place that night, the way he singled himself out to be different.
John Casey called it 'catch 22' situation for O'Shea, feeling he would have received equal criticism if he had ignored the young fans. He also added that he has regularly seen the Breaffy man remain on a pitch for hours after a game, warm-up completed, kicking a ball around with young supporters.
O'Shea was today omitted from the Mayo starting team to play Sligo in their opening game of the Connacht Championship this weekend.
You can listen to the RTÉ GAA Podcast below.
Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
