Aishling Sheridan

Aishling Sheridan (born 18 July 1996) is an Irish sportswoman who plays Australian rules football for the Collingwood Football Club in the AFL Women's (AFLW). 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).

Aishling Sheridan
Sheridan playing for Northern Territory in May 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-07-18) 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
Club information
Current club Collingwood
Number 14
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2020– Collingwood 45 (15)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 8, 2023.
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Ladies' Gaelic football

Sheridan played for Cavan in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). She received Team of the League Division 2 honours in 2017[1][2] and 2018.[3] With Sheridan, Cavan reached the 2018 Division 2 League Final, but were beaten by Tipperary, despite Sheridan scoring two goals.[4][5] However after losing to Monaghan in the Relegation Qualifiers,[6] 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.[7] In April 2019, Sheridan scored a hat-trick for Cavan against Kerry.[8] In August 2019, Sheridan helped Cavan once again in the Relegation play-offs, beating Westmeath to stay at senior level for the 2020 season.[9]

State-tier Australian rules football

In September 2018, Sheridan took part in a week-long CrossCoders camp in Melbourne together with 10 other Irish players, including Sarah Rowe who she attended Dublin City University with and would later become her teammate at Collingwood.[10] The camp included kicking sessions, combine tests, a game of CrossCoders against a 2nd-tier VFL Women's (VFLW) side, and a 2km test.[5] In May 2019, she flew back to Australia to play for NT Thunder in the VFLW for a month, alongside fellow Irishwoman Ailish Considine.[11] The first weekend with NT Thunder she couldn't play due to registration issues and another weekend was a bye round for the club, so she ended up playing only two games, the first at TIO Stadium, NT Thunder's home ground, against Southern Saints and the second against Collingwood, the club which would later sign her professionally. During the bye round she played in a challenge match against the U18 side. During her time with NT Thunder, she played in the back and midfield positions, which aren't her regular positions, and therefore as she said "was out of my comfort zone which was good because it's the best way probably to learn".[12][13] Her prominence at the CrossCoders camp and impressive performance in the VFLW made her highly sought by at least three clubs.[10]

AFL Women's career

Sheridan signed with Collingwood as a Category B rookie, joining fellow cross-code rookies Sarah Rowe and Sharni Layton, during the 2019 rookie signing period in June.[10][12] Playing in a practice training match against North Melbourne in January 2020, she caught the eye, offering great speed in the forward line.[14][15] Sheridan made her professional debut against West Coast at Victoria Park in the opening round of the 2020 season, with Rowe presenting her guernsey before the match.[16][17] The following round, Sheridan scored her first goal against Collingwood's old rivals Carlton in their first-ever win over them in the AFLW.[18] She scored her second goal a week later in a close loss against Fremantle.[19][20] Sheridan's first season with Collingwood was a huge success, helping the club reach the finals series.[21][22] In her debut season, she won the Best First Year Player award, together with Alana Porter.[23]

Personal life

Sheridan's close family are all involved in Gaelic football. Her father Gerry played for both Mullahoran and Cavan, as well as managing the Cavan Ladies. Her mother Monica and sisters Geraldine, Louise, and Mona all played for Mullahoran.[24] Sheridan attended Dublin City University and graduated in November 2018 with a degree in Athletic Therapy and Training.[5]

Statistics
Statistics are correct the end of the 2022 (S7) season.[25]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2020 Collingwood 147242643699150.30.63.76.19.91.32.1
2021 Collingwood 1411812‡594210122260.71.1§5.43.89.22.02.4
2022 (S6) Collingwood 141041485910716270.40.14.85.910.71.62.7
2022 (S7) Collingwood 1490156338910410.00.16.23.79.91.14.6
Career 37 14 18 189 177 366 57 109 0.4 0.5 5.1 4.8 9.9 1.5 2.9

References
  1. "Lidl Teams of the League Announced". Ladies' Gaelic Football Association. 26 May 2017.
  2. O'Rourke, Steve (26 May 2017). "Strength in depth of Ladies football highlighted as Teams of the League announced". The42.
  3. "Lidl Teams of the 2018 Ladies National Football Leagues revealed". Ladies' Gaelic Football Association. 15 May 2018.
  4. "Late penalty controversy as Tipp pip Cavan to Division 2 title". The Irish Times. 6 May 2018.
  5. Duffy, Emma (2 March 2019). "Football first for Cavan star Sheridan but lure of AFLW life Down Under remains". The42.
  6. Bannon, Dan (11 August 2018). "Monaghan secure senior status with six-point victory over Cavan". Raidió Teilifís Éireann.
  7. Fallon, John (19 August 2018). "Relegated: Tipperary ladies football team lose to Cavan and make the drop to the intermediate grade". Tipperary Star.
  8. "Cavan and Louth advance to Ladies National Football League semi-finals". The Irish Times. 14 April 2019.
  9. "Cavan too good for Westmeath in preserving top-flight status". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 11 August 2019.
  10. Lewis, Tash (15 June 2019). "AFLW: Pies sign Irish rookie". Collingwood. Telstra Media. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  11. Duffy, Emma (5 May 2019). "'I'll get a proper taste' - Cavan star forward heading to Oz to chase AFLW contract". The42.
  12. Duffy, Emma (14 June 2019). "'If someone told me this time last year, 'You'll sign a contract to be a professional athlete,' I'd have said, 'Never". The42.
  13. "Aishling Sheridan". NT Thunder. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  14. Mullan, Alanna (20 January 2020). "AFLW: Positive signs from match sim session". Collingwood. Telstra Media.
  15. Duffy, Emma (20 January 2020). "Cora Staunton makes goalscoring return in Australia after career-threatening triple leg-break". The42.
  16. Duffy, Emma (10 February 2020). "More winning debuts, goals and county teammates going head-to-head on AFLW opening weekend". The42.
  17. Coyle, Aideen (28 February 2020). "Sheridan flying flag for Cavan Down Under". The Anglo-Celt.
  18. Duffy, Emma (16 February 2020). "Two on target as Cavan star's first goal the highlight of big weekend for Irish in Oz". The42.
  19. "Undefeated Dockers beat Magpies in AFLW". The Age. 22 February 2020.
  20. Farrell, Sinead (24 February 2020). "Staunton marks comeback from horror injury with first goal of third AFL season". The42.
  21. Duffy, Emma (19 March 2020). "Everything you need to know about the Irish stars lining out in the AFLW Finals Series". The42.
  22. Duffy, Emma (20 March 2020). "More Irish players heading home but six to feature this weekend in AFLW Final Series". The42.
  23. Riley, Stephen (15 May 2020). "AFLW: Lambert goes back-to-back". Collingwood. Telstra Media.
  24. "It's a real family affair for the Sheridan's at the Paidi O'Se Tournament". Sportstalk. 19 February 2018.
  25. "Aishling Sheridan – Player Stats By Season". Australian Football. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
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