SPORTING PASSIONS SINEÁD AHERNE: Dublin footballer Sineád Aherne talks to Philip Reidabout her first time in Croke Park and her interest in basketball

YOU COULDN'T escape sport growing up in our house. My dad, Pat, comes from Cork and played hurling; my mother, Angela, is from Leitrim and played netball in her time. Me? I played basketball and hockey all through school but Gaelic football became my main sport from a very early stage, going back to the street leagues with St Sylvester's GAA Club in Malahide.

Football was my first sport. I was lucky that there were two teachers in my primary school, St Oliver Plunketts in Malahide, who pioneered girls' football.

The sport was only catching on when I was in primary school but Ms Cullinane and Ms Hennessy were early campaigners and, having played in the street leagues with the club, I was very enthusiastic when it was introduced into the school.

We were also lucky in that there were a lot of good players in my age group and in our first year we reached the primary schools finals in Croke Park. That was my first experience of playing there, although I had, of course, been brought there for matches.

The first game I attended was the 1994 All-Ireland football semi-final between Dublin and Leitrim and I've been a regular there ever since.

Hopefully, Dublin ladies can make the breakthrough at All-Ireland level soon. We've won five Leinster titles in recent years and the team is continuing to evolve.

Although football has been my first sporting love, I also played hockey and basketball at secondary school in Scoil Áosa (Malahide Community School). We reached hockey finals and I also played in the Dublin basketball schools finals in the National Arena in Tallaght.

Of the two, basketball is the sport that I would have a far greater interest in. My cousin, Jillian Aherne, is an Irish international and plays with her club basketball with UL.

I loved playing basketball, but had to prioritise and chose Gaelic football. I attended summer camps which were run by basketball internationals Michelle Aspel and Mark Ingle which I thought were brilliantly run and only served to heighten my interest in the sport.

My favourite basketball player is Kobe Bryant, who is a guard with the LA Lakers. I watched all of the recent NBA play-off games when the Lakers won the title and when Kobe won the MVP. He is an inspirational player to anyone interested in sport, not just basketball. He has a tremendous on-court presence, totally committed to the team, and is playing the best basketball of his career.

I've never been a die-hard soccer fan but I love watching rugby. With my dad being from Cork, I've followed the fortunes of Munster over the years but it was fabulous to see Leinster make the breakthrough in the Heineken Cup this year.

"Unfortunately, I haven't made it to any of their matches - yet! - in the RDS but I've watched as many of their games on television as I could and followed their progress.

The other sport that I would follow is hurling, and especially the progress that the Dublin hurlers have made in recent years. It's great to see them competing with the Kilkennys and Tipperarys of the hurling world and I believe they are definitely on the right track and ready to make the next step up that is required.

As for the Dublin ladies football team, I think we're close this year. The draw for the All-Ireland quarter-finals was made this week and we now face Kerry.

We've let ourselves down a little in the past but I do think we're close this time.

* Sineád Aherne scored 3-4 in the Leinster ladies football final last month when Dublin beat Kildare. It was her fifth provincial title. She is 23 years old.