AGB’s Aaron O’Brien Becomes the Club’s First Senior University League Medal Winner
When Aaron O’Brien arrived into the University of Limerick football setup, he expected a challenge. What he didn’t expect was that,only a year or so later , he’d make history—becoming the first Arklow Geraldines-Ballymoney player ever to win a senior University League medal. UL’s breakthrough league win, their first in the competition, added an extra layer of significance to an achievement already bursting with personal pride.
O’Brien speaks with genuine honesty about the step up from freshers football to the senior Sigerson-level environment. For him, the word that defines it is standards.
“The standards obviously go up,” he explains. “At a fresher's level you might get away with attempting something. In the senior setup, even if you attempt it, you’re expected to execute it—whether that’s a kick pass or a hand pass. There’s no room for error. There’s an added pressure and a naturally higher standard.”
That higher standard extends far beyond skill alone. The speed of the game was the first shock to the system.
“It’s quicker than anything I’ve ever played before,” he says. “Everyone has the skills—shooting, scoring, catching—but the pace is something else. The fitness is nearly basketball-like: we score, you score, and it’s up and down the pitch constantly. There’s no breather until the whistle.”
Despite not featuring in the league final, O’Brien didn’t waste time dwelling on disappointment. Instead, he points to the calibre of the squad around him.
“It’s very hard to argue with the quality there. Lads from Mayo, Cork, Tipperary, Sligo, Galway—many involved with senior county teams. I’m just glad to be part of that setup because the training alone is already making me a better player.”
He describes the mood on the sideline that night as “quietly confident,” even as a second-half red card briefly tilted the momentum.
“We always felt we had a job to do, even though UL had never won it before. The belief was there.”
Much of that belief, he says, comes from manager David Power, whose influence has been transformative.
“He’s put a real belief in us that we deserve wins because we work hard. Six wins from six in the league shows that.”
When told he was the first AGB player to earn a senior college title, O’Brien was genuinely surprised—but delighted.
“It’s nice to have that individual accolade,” he admits. “But more than anything, I’m proud to be part of this group.”
For AGB, it’s a milestone. For UL, a historic first title. And for Aaron O’Brien, it’s only the beginning.
