Sheehan rejects Carlton chance

CIARAN SHEEHAN has handed Cork football a massive boost by revealing that he has turned his back on an AFL career with Carlton, citing homesickness as a key factor in his decision to pursue a career in the GAA.

Sheehan, who was a member of the Cork training panel in the build-up to the recent All-Ireland final decider, spent four weeks during the summer in Melbourne with the AFL outfit but found it difficult to acclimatise during that period.

“It’s just myself and my mom at home, so homesickness was a really big factor. Being away from home was tough going during those four weeks. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy the training, once you get into the fitness and conditioning, it was a great experience. I’d be very grateful to Carlton for the opportunity. They’d followed me for a while and the way they kept in touch, and allowed me to make up my mind, is something I’d really admire.”