‘It’s time to call it a day.’ Read Paul Flynn’s statement in full

After 12 proud years wearing the Dublin jersey, I have made the difficult decision to step away from the Dublin football panel.

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.