 Aherne, together with Con Martin, Reg Ryan and Davy Walsh, was one of four players from the Republic, included in the IFA XI that day and as a result he played for two different associations in the same FIFA World Cup tournament.This situation eventually led to intervention by FIFA and as a result Aherne became one of the last four Republic-born players to play for the IFA XI.Aherne died in Luton, England, aged 80.