By Cian O'Connell

On a muggy Monday late afternoon Aaron Gillane enters King John’s Castle in Limerick with a smile etched across his face.

A few hours of photographs and interviews awaits, but it is all because of a game and a green and white team that has brought so much pleasure.

Success has been achieved, loads of silverware attained so everything is now being geared towards another All Ireland SHC Semi-Final against Kilkenny at Croke Park on Saturday.

That is the stage and environment where Limerick want to operate on with Gillane stressing the role occupied by John Kiely and his management team.

Thus far it appears Limerick are dealing well with the victories and expectation. “Yeah, that is testament to the management team we have, they have kept our feet firmly planted on the ground,” Gillane responds.

“I know people maybe say we are a young panel, but they have to be complemented for how they have treated us, how they have brought us along. To be honest we wouldn't have been able to do it without them. They deserve great praise for that.”

Defeating Galway to secure the Liam MacCarthy Cup at GAA headquarters last August brought a strange cocktail of joy and relief.

Wild celebrations rightfully followed, but it wasn’t long before Gillane craved to just return training in Rathkeale. There was a comfort to be found in that, further challenges existed, more hurdles needed to be cleared.

“Probably you'd hear stories about Limerick teams in the past that have got to the All Ireland final, maybe they could have celebrated too much and rested on their laurels a bit too much,” Gillane replies when asked about the change in returning to training as the All Ireland champions.

“I remember over the winter you'd have the odd night out, you'd enjoy it and it was well deserved too, but you'd see clips and stuff coming across Twitter. Just moments throughout the year, things like turning points in matches.

“No matter where you are you'd be thinking that you can't wait to get back training. You know when you go back training it is going to be back in Rathkeale, it is going to be just tough, mud, rolling around the place.

“Still it is something you strive for and look forward to getting back into. We are hurlers, this is what we look forward to doing. We aren't forced to do it.”

Belief can be acquired from the preparation, months from when a campaign will be defined, the tough graft takes place.

“It helps that last year we did win something because it clicked in our heads that all these hard nights and slog in Rathkeale and dirty places, it is definitely worth it,” Gillane states.

“You know when you are back doing that you know you are on the right track again. I don't want to look too far down the line, but hopefully it will lead us to good places again.”

Undoubtedly winning is extremely helpful, but so much enjoyment can be derived from being involved in elite sport according to Gillane.

“You hit the nail on the head - enjoyment - that is the big thing,” Gillane remarks. “Why would you do something if you are not enjoying it?

“I think the boys do incorporate that sense of enjoyment into training and matches. Obviously you go out to win, to try to win everything, but it is important not to take it too seriously.

“You don't want to be too tense going out on to the field, you'd underperform. It is simple. When you are going around to Cul Camps, talking to six year olds and eight year olds if you're enjoying it you're ultimately going to perform better.”

Ultimately, it is why Gillane simply tries to zone in on the journey rather than the intended destination. “You don't want to get bogged down thinking of these fine details,” Gillane comments.

“We have a job to go out on the field, to do what is put in front of us. To be honest that is all we think about for the 70 minutes, we don't think about anything else outside of the match. It is fairly simple for us we focus on the job at hand for 70 minutes. Hopefully we come out the right side of it in the end.”

These are glorious times for Limerick with the All Ireland, Allianz Hurling League, and Munster Championship triumphs illustrating the class within the county.

Momentum has been generated, but the task now is to remain relevant. “Winning breeds winning,” Gillane acknowledges.

“Growing up at 16s, minors, 21s, we were lucky enough that we were successful enough. Once you bring that in or get a taste of it you don't want to let go of it to be honest.

“Once you get a few of them results in senior you feel you might be able to kick on here, keep going the way we are. At the moment we are happy with the way things are going, touch wood they will keep going that way now.

“I don't know if we got used to winning, but maybe we loved the winning feeling too much that we didn't want to let go of it too easily.

“Once you get a taste of winning, you get hungrier and hungrier and hungrier. You just want to kick on to go again. You nearly can't put it into words what winning big competitions means. Hopefully we will have a few more to come in the next few years, but our focus is firmly on the All Ireland semi-final.”

In Patrickswell hurling dominates the agenda and conversations. That is just the way it is. Gillane, though, quickly got used to adequately coping with being a Limerick hurler from the ‘Well.

“When we were growing up there was always big names around Patrickswell,” Gillane admits. “Hurling is like a religion out there to be honest. The names Gary Kirby, Ciaran Carey, they are always floating around.

“There was nearly a bit of pressure when you go to represent Patrickswell, you had to emulate what they did. It is a good type of pressure, but they are always there for confidence and stuff. We can't fault them at all.”

Kirby and Carey continue to be heavily involved with Patrickswell. “Gary was over us with Patrickswell for three years, Ciaran this is his second year with us,” Gillane adds. “To be fair we do spend a bit of time with them and they are rubbing off on us a bit. If we get to be half as good as them I'd be happy.”

A modest Gillane is established as a hugely significant figure in the Limerick attack. Gillane never gave up even when difficult moments were encountered.

Gillane flared to prominence in the Fitzgibbon Cup with Mary I under the shrewd guidance of Jamie Wall. That provided a platform to showcase his talent and it was a key phase in his development.

“It was of course, the confidence you get from playing with big names, the likes of Ronan Maher, Colm Galvin, Cian Lynch, Richie English, Darragh O'Donovan, all of these people,” Gillane comments.

“Knowing you can fit in to play with these people. Something clicks in your head, it is a feeling you don't want to let go of. You want to play at this level with these boys for a long time. As I keep saying it is something you don't want to let go of.”

Gillane has grasped his opportunity becoming one of the most feared and respected forwards in the country. A daring Limerick adventure lingers on.