Bernard Flynn has revealed he buried the hatchet with Mayo fans enraged by comments he made about Aidan O'Shea at the top of the summer, and said the Breaffy man has proven his excellence in a gruelling championship.
Back in May Flynn detailed an incident after a challenge game against Meath - when the Breaffy club man posed for selfies while his team-mates did a warmdown - as symptomatic of a poor attitude that was preventing him from reaching the heights he should.
"The whole team did a warmdown; ten yards away he proceeded to have photos and selfies and whatnot and he was allowed to do his own thing," Flynn told RTÉ 2fm's Game On programme at the time.
"I stood back in amazement with a few friends of mine who watched and a certain individual who was 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."
His comments sparked a huge debate and no little anger from the Mayo faithful, but Flynn said it's all water under the bridge now as he backed O'Shea to steal the show against Dublin in today's decider.
"I said I'd bury the hatchet," Flynn told RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport.
"I went down to Charleston and did Up For The Match, a brilliant night. There were three or four guys who slaughtered me on Twitter, they really did. I got absolutely hammered. I blocked them.
"But I met them all... a great bunch of lads. We buried the hatchet. Life is too short. We'd a great craic and a drink.
"I said what I said at the time. It was misrepresented a little. The point I was making warranted me to say that everybody should be treated the same in team duties. It was nothing to do with selfies at all. I felt strongly that what I seen didn't sit right.
"I do believe the point maybe hit a chord and maybe struck something that's ignited Adan to be more of a team player, and I mean that with total respect.
"I think he's been brilliant this year, and been superb for Mayo in the earlier rounds when they were struggling. I hope he's man of the match today."
