One of the subplots of the summer for Mayo in the middle of their run towards the All Ireland final was the critical spotlight placed on Aidan O'Shea.
It was something the Mayo All Star had to shoulder and perhaps in a complimentary highlights the talent he has.
Speaking to Joe today as he reflected on a year that saw he and Mayo come close again to ending 66 years of hurt, he feels the scrutiny over his performances in big games is something he has to give short shrift to given the fact that the collective is far more important.
"It doesn't make me sleep any easier at all, 'oh, did I have a really good game in a final?' It doesn't make it any easier whether we won or not," he said.
"If I had a stinker and we won the All Ireland, I'd have no problem with that whatsoever to be honest with you. It's kind of irrelevant really."
Selfie gate was perhaps the nadir and insulating himself from all that is a challenge.
"It all just became a bit of a free-for-all to be honest and everywhere I turned... and it probably affected at home as well. My family were aware of it as well. I see them being aware of it. It's important to protect myself outside of football in general," he said, adding that it became "a bit of a circus".
"I just needed to cut everything. I don't think being on social media effects how I play football but I don't need to turn on my phone and see somebody retweeting some stupid story that shouldn't have got traction in the first place," he said, also explaining that there is an obligation to give something back by taking selfies with young fans on the pitch.
He also discussed his initial reluctance for a homecoming in Mayo after the final defeat given that it was a loss but also explained how he came round to the idea.
O'Shea also discussed marking Kieran Donaghy when he was surprisingly deployed at full back and also spoke warmly of team-mate Alan Dillon who has retired from Mayo duty.
Coca-Cola is proud to support Irish road safety by rewarding Designated Drivers who give the Gift of a Lift with two FREE drinks from Coca-Cola. For more details and to claim your free drinks, get on to www.designateddriver.ie or search for the hashtag #DesignatedDriver on Twitter. Aidan O’Shea is an ambassador for the campaign and he called in to us earlier today.
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