Aishling Sheridan could be set for lengthy spells on the AFLW sidelines after both sustaining injuries in Adelaide Crows’ win at Collingwood.
Aishling Sheridan : Injury | Fitness | Partner | Cavan
Sheridan is an Irish sportswoman who plays Australian rules football for the Collingwood Football Club in the AFL Women’s (AFLW).
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 July 1996 | ||
| Original team(s) | Cavan (GAA) / NT Thunder (VFLW) | ||
| Draft | 2019 rookie signing | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2020, Collingwood vs. West Coast, at Victoria Park |
||
| Height | 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
She has also played ladies’ Gaelic football for Cavan in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and Australian rules football for NT Thunder in the VFL Women’s (VFLW).
Sheridan played for Cavan in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). She received Team of the League Division 2 honours in 2017 and 2018.
With Sheridan, Cavan reached the 2018 Division 2 League Final, but were beaten by Tipperary, despite Sheridan scoring two goals.
However after losing to Monaghan in the Relegation Qualifiers, they beat Tipperary in the 2018 Relegation Play-Offs and stayed at the senior level for the 2019 season while Tipperary were relegated to the intermediate level. In April 2019, Sheridan scored a hat-trick for Cavan against Kerry.
In August 2019, Sheridan helped Cavan once again in the Relegation Play-Offs, beating Westmeath to stay at senior level for the 2020 season.
Injury
Aishling Sheridan could be out for up to a month with a knee injury, after initial concerns it would be season-ending news.
Collingwood confirmed the more positive news this morning after fearing the worst for the Cavan woman following a heavy tackle in the second quarter in the Pies 21-16 loss to the Adelaide Crows on Sunday.
Sheridan was pictured on her own Instagram page in a knee brace but very much in good spirits.
In the same game, Adelaide’s Niamh Kelly had provided plenty of spark after being recalled to the side, but dislocated her shoulder in the third term following a goal-saving smother.
She is now ruled out of the reigning Premiers for 1-3 weeks, depending on her rehab.
Meanwhile her sister Grace, who also left the West Coast Eagles during the summer, is managing an Achilles flare-up at St. Kilda meaning her club debut remains on ice for the next few weeks.
While Saints defender, Clara Fitzpatrick has returned to Australia after taking a week’s Personal Leave to travel home to Ireland for a close friend’s wedding over the past weekend.
Back at the Crows, Ailish Considine is back off the injury list after the hamstring injury she picked up in last August has cleared and could be in line for a hit out against the GWS Giants on Sunday.
Aishling Sheridan Fitness
Aishling Sheridan is a multi-talented professional athlete, having played with Cavan Senior Ladies football team, Aishling has recently made the successful transition AFLW with Collingwood.
Aishling is a qualified Athletic Therapist, combining this with her experience of life as a professional athlete, Aishling has developed a knowledge of best practices for recovery.
Because Here, Aishling educates us on the importance of recovery, and shares some tips and techniques to help with recovery from training or matches.
Whether it’s GAA you play or any other form of sport, adequate recovery is essential to ensure you get the best out of yourself and help reduce the risk of injury.
From my experience of playing AFLW and Gaelic Football, recovery can be overlooked especially in team environments as there is less focus on one particular individual.
Ensuring you achieve an appropriate quantity and quality of sleep may have massive implications on how you recover as an athlete. Sleep is probably the most important factor for recovery closely followed by nutrition.
Aishling Sheridan Partner
A stint playing WAFL has kept her busy since then, but with the days ticking down before collective training returns, she is straining at the leash to make her comeback.
Her Cavan county colleagues missed her in the early part of 2020 for their Division 2 Lidl NFL campaign, but with her three sisters Geraldine, Louise and Mona and her mother Monica all playing club football this year, she can’t wait to get out there again.
“I have to say I can’t wait for the club game to come back. County is absolutely brilliant, but your club is what you have grown up playing. It’s the girls you have grown up with, people you have gone to school with. We have gone through a lot together,” said Lidl ambassador Sheridan.
“I am very lucky in my club team, if you asked anyone in Cavan they think it’s half my family. My three sisters and my mam all play. I have a few first cousins on the team too. It’s very much a family affair.
“Mam says she will retire every year but she is still hanging in there. She mightn’t make every training now and she might watch for a bit, but she has no problem putting on the number 16 goalie’s jersey if she has to.”
She continued: “I’m the youngest out of my sisters, so I have always played with them. There is not that much of an age gap between us. Dad was heavily involved with football and played county football himself too. If he is not managing us, he is there on the sideline, at least somewhere he can be seen! We have that family feel to it all.
Cavan
And from Collingwood to Cavan, Aishling Sheridan is back on home soil and switching her focus to Gaelic football again.
So Aishling Sheridan was speaking at the 2021 Lidl Ladies National Football Leagues launch.
After her stunning second season in the Australian Football League Women’s [AFLW], she’s firmly rooted back home in Mullahoran, readjusting to life on these shores.
With that, comes her first love of football. The switch between codes has certainly been challenging, but it’s welcome as she enjoys the best of both worlds — and plans to continue in the same vein, contracted for another season with the Pies.
And “I’m not going to lie, the transition has been a bit difficult,” Sheridan said at the 2021 Lidl Ladies National Football League launch yesterday.
“Last year when I came home I had a full 10, 12-week lockdown to prepare myself whereas I kind of only had the 10 to 14 days this time. So far it’s all getting better, I’ve been doing my own extra bits every day to just get comfortable on the ball.
Because “Self confidence is a big thing so even getting more time holding the round ball as opposed to an oval ball, that can make a massive difference.
“But delighted to be home, delighted to be back with family and be back in with Cavan. We’ve a new set-up this year, a lot of new girls and a lot of new faces on the panel.
It’s been a good challenge but I’m definitely delighted to be back.”
Reflecting on her Australian odyssey, Sheridan was certainly pleased with her season.
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