By Niall Gartland

AISHLING Sheridan has earned plaudits far and wide for her on-field performances in both Gaelic football and Australian Rules football, but there’s something extra special about making her mark (pun unintended) back home with her club Mullahoran.

Sheridan’s AFL career with Collingwood has been a huge success since signing with the club back in 2019, firmly establishing herself as a key player Down Under before taking a sabbatical this season to spend time with family.

Should she so desire, she’ll head back to Australia in 2025 though she hasn’t quite made up her mind on that one, and her pressing priority right now is this Sunday’s Ulster Intermediate Club Championship final against Carrickmacross.

The Sheridan family is steeped in Mullahoran football – she’s set to line out alongside two of her sisters, Mona and Geradline, while another sibling, Louise, is another mainstay of the team but is expecting.

Then there’s her parents; Gerry and Monica are both former Cavan footballers, and her father has helped erect good luck signs and all the rest of it as the hype machine whirs into gear ahead of Mullahoran’s provincial showdown.

In that respect, the Sheridan family is emblematic of everything that makes Mullahoran tick with the entire community rowing in behind all of the club’s teams whatever the context.

Sheridan said: “We’re such a tight-knit community and it doesn’t matter whether it’s men’s or ladies football or whether it’s underage or anything else, we definitely have a lot of support.

“We’re all very close, we’re from a small area in Cavan and a lot of us have grown up together and have either played or coached together or both.

“Myself and some of my sisters have coached at u-12s and they’re now lining out alongside us. I think that sense of friendship has been one of our biggest strengths down the years.”

Mullahoran have endured some near-misses in recent years on county final day but they made amends with victory over Knockbride two months ago before plotting a path through Ulster with successive wins over Derrynoose, Dungloe and St Gall’s. And it’s fair to say they’re all rather excited about the turn of events.

She said: “It’s definitely brought a smile to people’s faces around Mullahoran. My dad was up putting signs up the other day, there’s bunting and all.

“So there’s been great support and I think a few buses might be arranged for the final. It seems like everyone is getting behind us, even neighbouring clubs, which is great to see.”

Standing in the way of the title is a Carrickmacross side that claimed an Ulster Junior title in 2021. Sheridan expects a mighty battle and may the best team win.

“I know they’ve had a few strong wins under their belts in Ulster and Monaghan itself is a good football county. Monaghan teams are always doing well particularly at underage level so I’m not expecting anything other than a really tough game.”