Career
Born in, County, Aylward first excelled at hurling during his schooling at. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the minor team before later joining the under-21 side. He made his senior debut during the 2013 league.
At club level Aylward is a one-time championship medallist as a Gaelic football player with.
Club Inter-county Aylward first played for in 2009 when he joined the minor side. Galway provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider on 6 September 2009.
A devastating second quarter display was pivotal in powering the Westerners to a 2-15 to 2-11 victory. The subsequent All-Ireland decider on 5 September 2010 pitted against Clare.
"The Cats" were made to work hard before securing a narrow 2-10 to 0-14 victory, giving Aylward a coveted All-Ireland medalcaptain. later faced Clare in the All-Ireland decider on 15 September 2012.
A powerful second-half display, in which they outscored by 1-10 to 0-4, saw Clare take their second ever All-Ireland title in the grade. Aylward made his senior debut on 10 March 2013 in a 2-17 to 1-19 National Hurling League defeat by Tipperary. A series of injuries kept Aylward off the panel in 2014, however, he was reinstated the following year.
lieutenant was "s 70th provincial title. renewed their rivalry with Galway once again in the All-Ireland decider on 6 September 2015.
The team struggled in the first half, however, a T. J. Reid goal and a dominant second half display, which limited Galway to just 1-4, saw power to a 1-22 to 1-18 victory. lieutenant was Aylward"s first All-Ireland medal.