Reward for a dedicated captain

BASKETBALL/Sportswoman of the year awards: The University of Limerick basketball captain Jillian Aherne has been recognised for leading her side to victory in the National Cup with The Irish Times/Mitsubishi Electric Sportswoman of the Month award for February.

Picking out an individual from the all-conquering UL line-up was never going to be easy. Michelle Aspell has topped the scoring, while the towering Sinead Leahy has dominated the boards all season.

Yet Aherne's leadership has been unflinching. In the season-defining game, the Cup final against the Waterford Wildcats, Aherne's introduction early in the first quarter quashed any thoughts of an upset.

Every time a revival was on the cards the 29-year-old Cork woman played a part in snuffing it out - by a timely interception, a simple pass or a drive to the board. By half-time it was 42-19 and the game was over. She finished with 13 points and the "most valuable player" award.

"It was a good team performance," she quickly points out. "We didn't play well in the final the year before so we owed our supporters that sort of display on the day."

Aherne was educated at St Mary's school in Mallow and Tralee IT. Before joining UL five years ago she played Superleague for Blarney; she has also turned out for Listowel. She has represented Ireland at all levels and has won county medals at under-15 and under-17.

These days basketball is an everyday part of her life. She is the floor manager at the UL Arena and has led the Superleague team for three years.

This week she was relaxing on a family holiday in Lanzarote. It's been a long year, which is still not finished. On Saturday they face the Drimnagh Dynamos in the semi-final of the League play-offs. The "double double" is just two games away. The only problem now is motivation.

"Yeah, I'm wrecked at the moment. It's been an enjoyable but tough two years. Complacency is our biggest enemy. The hunger does begin to wane when you are beating teams by 40 or 50 points, although we don't do that every week."

How long can this special group of players continue to dominate? "I think every one of us are dedicated. Since Tony (Hehir, UL coach) came in we've run two miles after every training session.

"I would like to continue playing for two or three more years. It will get tougher; Killester are a strong, up-and-coming team. They have stayed in touch with us in the two games this season. But while other teams are training two or three times a week we also have set individual workouts twice a week."

It's the little things that make a difference. And Aherne clearly has the inner resolve so vital to being a champion.

"Jillian is an outstanding player and a great captain," said Hehir. "She has improved immensely over the last two seasons, becoming a much more offensive player. This has led to more court time with Ireland."

Next month there's an international training camp in Philadelphia, under the supervision of national coach Ger Tarrant, as preparation for the European qualifiers in September.

It seems never-ending, but she wouldn't have it any other way.