Aaron Kernan joined Off The Ball to discuss his 16th club title with Crossmaglen, and spoke about the looming impact that Brexit may have on the GAA.
Kernan spoke to us following their win in the Armagh senior football championships after their win over Ballymacnab on Sunday, and spoke of the demands that the players put on themselves to succeed.
"An awful lot of [the pressure] comes from players demanding it," said Kernan.
"You might think it is an awful lot, but players are all a bit wiser and knowledgeable about the advantages and extra percentages you can get nowadays.
"Whether that is in terms of your physios and doctors attending training, or statistics, or strength and conditioning. That is pretty much the norm at club level now as it was with the county level."
Kernan believes that
"The county game is really your shop window," says Kernan of the disconnect between the club and county game.
"Year-on-year, the publicity that goes with the club game is increasing, and the fact that your junior, intermediate and senior teams can go on and win silverware provincially and at All-Ireland adds to the sacrifices that players are willing to make."
It is an uncertain time for teams like Crossmaglen, whose players are looking to the 31st October as a potential watershed in their ability to cross the border unimpeded.
Brexit is looming in one form or another, and Kernan was keen to illustrate the situation from his perspective.
"The biggest worry we have was a hard border, because my wife works in the hospital in Drogheda and my children go to creche across the border.
"It would have massive repercussions for ourselves here. I am not that old, but I remember when you had watchtowers on all your roads leading from roads north to south.
"The whole thing is a complete mess.
"In terms of living around here, the only real issue would be the hard border, the closing of roads and checkpoints. Thankfully, it doesn't look like we will have that now."
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