Aidan O'Shea: Winning with Breaffy means a lot to those closest to you

This Sunday’s senior final against Ballina Stephenites represents his fifth. It’s a final record that reads almost as harsh as Mayo’s.

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Mayo County GAA Player and Dad Aidan O Shea with Harry Morris, Florence Flanagan,Pippa McMahon and Jack Morris pictured at the launch of the Irish Patient's Association's 'Flunited' campaign. Picture: Brian McEvoy.

Breaffy or Mayo – ask Aidan O’Shea which itch is scratchier and he plums for his club.

This Sunday’s senior final against Ballina Stephenites represents his fifth and on the last two occasions they have been within a score at the death.

It’s a final record that reads almost as harsh as Mayo’s, O’Shea having started the last seven of the 13 straight All-Irelands they have been unable to win.

A player who has a 100% record in eight Connacht finals, it obviously hasn’t all been gloom for him when silverware is on offer but there’s no doubt he has had to absorb several hits along the way.

“It’s actually a little bit easier with Mayo because of the parochial element with the club,” O’Shea explains.

“Breaffy have never won a senior championship, we became senior for the first time in 2001 and 70 years old so quite a young club. To win one would mean a lot to a lot of people, those closest to you.

“I’ve always taken the approach that you have to move on. You do learn from some elements like build-up stuff but there’s not much point drawing on too much because they’re over and done with. It’s all about trying to get back there.”

Expectation shadowed Breaffy into previous finals but there isn’t so much shade from it this time around.

Wins over Westport and Castlebar Mitchels were not expected after the group had lost so many players like goalkeeper Robbie Hennelly to Raheny and O’Shea’s older brother Seamus no longer involved.

“With that turnover of player, the thought of winning the county championship wasn’t high on the agenda. We took some heavy punishment in the league.

"In the first game of the championship against Ballina, we gained a lot from it even though we lost because they’re one of the favourites.

"Maybe not everybody in our dressing room totally believed we could beat them but after the game they were thinking, ‘we’re not that far away’ even with all the players leaving.”

Aidan O'Shea of Breaffy in action. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

The 33-year-old has qualms with the split season but being able to devote himself completely to Breaffy is a plus.

“I think that’s the key part. It’s as much me feeling a part of it as my team-mates feeling that I’m giving my all as well.

“Sometimes, there’s an illusion of ‘well he’s kinda half here, half not here’ so for us to be able to train Tuesday, Friday and play at the weekend, I’m at every session and that’s the beauty of it.

“I’m not a county player at the moment. You’d often get a few chirps on the pitch, ‘You’re not with Mayo now’. I’m like, ‘Well, none of us are with Mayo now. If you want to be with Mayo, play well and you might get back in next year and maybe I will too, you never know.’

"We’re all in the same boat. I don’t think the season is perfect at the moment but there’s a better balance for everybody.”

Committed for a 16th season with Mayo, when O’Shea returns to training there will be no half-measures. No allowances requested because he’s been the veteran.

“I’ve become more obsessive about training, my routine and the way I go about everything around football.

“Missing the first couple of league games is not something that I like to do. It’s the competitive thing, I don’t like missing training sessions – I think I missed one training session last year from early December.

“I feel every training session and game is an opportunity and if I’m not there it’s somebody else’s opportunity. Maybe it’s the appreciation of time in my career. It’s not that I’m begging for a break, it’s just that when I go back I won’t be doing it half-arsed. It’s just not the way I do things.”

Drawn on Roscommon’s side of the 2024 Connacht draw, a ninth provincial medal motivates him but not like before.

“You have this very competitive National League, which does have a bearing on the championship, and this competition which potentially has a very minimal championship.

“I’m not shouting to get rid of the Connacht championship but it has become less important for teams. Management or players who have won provincial championships before will continue to respect it but eventually they will realise it’s not going to make or break them.

“Given a blank page, I look at the AFL with envy and their 23 games and think that’s a pretty cool system and allows teams to lose, win and recover and everything’s not finite with one victory or one loss.

"It mightn’t happen in my lifetime but it would be a cool solution.”

Aidan O’Shea has launched the Children’s Winter Flu Vaccine “Flunited” Campaign. The vaccine is a free nasal spray for all children aged between 2 and 12 and children aged 13-17 at high risk of flu.