Aaron Gillane reveals how he and Limerick football captain Róisín Ambrose navigate the sporting world
THEY SAY two halves make a whole, and this is exactly the case for two of Limerick's sporting stars, Aaron Gillane in hurling and Róisín Ambrose in football, who have come together to form the Treaty's GAA power couple.
All Star hurler Aaron was one of the guest speakers at the Limerick Ladies Gaelic Football Association's breakfast fundraiser at Adare's Woodlands House Hotel ahead of this Sunday's TG4 All-Ireland junior ladies football final at Croke Park. Limerick take on Down in the much-anticipated clash and Aaron's girlfriend Róisín Ambrose of Old Mill is the team captain.
Pressure and preparation go hand-in-hand before a big match, and, drawing from his experience as a player, Aaron shared that his approach ahead of a showdown includes a laser-like focus on training, and a week of isolation. He revealed that Róisín follows a similar path, dedicating herself to training and maintaining her customary routine.
He explained that before a big game "myself, I focus on training and isolate for the rest of the week. Róisín is similar enough, training and otherwise staying at home, sticking to her normal routine".
While being in the spotlight of sports stardom brings its rewards, the star forward admitted that the added attention can become draining if it's not managed properly. "I know people mean well by asking questions about the match, but it can drain you at the same time," he admitted, as he repeated the importance of switching off before a match as crucial as the All-Ireland.
And switching off includes ignoring the noise of social media. "Social media is everywhere," the Patrickswell man added, "I just think the more you see things, it'll do you more harm than good".
Instead of scrolling on his phone, he winds down by "going out for a walk, watching telly or completely switching off. "Personally, I just don’t think [social media] suits me really," he pointed out.
As a GAA couple, Róisín and Aaron often have similar experiences, and, together, they can rely on each other for support. With a knowing smile, Aaron stated, "Roisín is the captain for a reason, so she gives me a bit of advice".
Aaron's Limerick teammate, hurling captain, Declan Hannon, was another guest speaker at last Thursday morning's breakfast event and, like Aaron, he believes that good leadership ensures a positive rapport with the other players. "It’s all about the team and how the players are handled," he said, and believes Róisín is in the right position, as, like him, she gains support from her entire team.
Limerick go into this Sunday's final as underdogs. The game is live on TG4 at 11.45am.