Pádraic Maher

Pádraic Maher
Personal information
Irish name Pádraic Ó Meachair
Sport Hurling
Position Half back
Born (1989-02-09) 9 February 1989
Thurles, Ireland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Club(s)
Years Club
2006– Thurles Sarsfields
Club titles
Tipperary titles 6
Munster titles 1
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
2009– Tipperary 37 (0–11)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 5
All-Irelands 2
NHL 0
All Stars 4

Pádraic Maher (born 9 February 1989) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a left wing-back for the Tipperary senior team.[1]

Maher made his first appearance for the team during the 2009 National League and has become a regular player ever since. During that time he has won two All-Ireland winners' medals, five Munster winners' medals and four All-Star awards. He has ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on three occasions.He has been nominated for GAA All Stars Awards Hurler of the Year on two occasions also, in 2011 & 2016.

At club level Maher is a six-time county club championship medallist with Thurles Sarsfields and a one-time Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship medallist.

Playing career

Club

Maher plays his club hurling with the famous Thurles Sarsfield's club and enjoyed much success as a dual player in various juvenile and under-age grades.

In 2006 he was just 17 years old when he made his senior championship debut for the club.

After losing the championship decider in 2008, Thurles Sarsfield's bounced back to return to the county final again the following year. By this stage Maher was a regular member of the starting fifteen. A 0–14 to 0–5 trouncing of Drom-Inch gave him his first county club championship medal.[2]

Thurles Sarsfield's made it two-in-a-row in 2010. A 1–16 to 1–7 defeat of Clonoulty-Rossmore gave Maher a second championship medal.[3]

After surrendering their title in 2011, Thurles Sarsfield's were back in the county decider again the following year. A 1–21 to 2–15 defeat of Drom-Inch gave Maher his third championship medal in four seasons.[4]

Minor and under-21

Maher first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team. He enjoyed much success in this grade as Tipperary reached the All-Ireland decider via the "back-door" in 2006. Three-in-a-row hopefuls Galway provided the opposition, however, Tipp powered to 2–18 to 2–7 victory.[5] It was Maher's first All-Ireland medal in that grade.

In 2007 Maher won a Munster medal at minor level following an 0–18 to 1–11 defeat of Cork. Both sides met again in the All-Ireland decider, where Cork lost again by 3–14 to 2–11, giving Maher a second successive All-Ireland medal.[6]

Maher subsequently joined the Tipperary under-21 team. He won a Munster medal in this grade in his debut season following a controversial one-point defeat of Clare. Tipp later reached the All-Ireland, however, Maher 's side were defeated by Kilkenny.[7]

After surrendering their provincial crown in 2009, Tipperary bounced back the following year. A 1–22 to 1–17 defeat of Clare gave Maher a second Munster medal.[8] Tipp later played Galway in the All-Ireland final and went on to trounce the westerners by 5–22 to 0–12.[9] It was Maher 's sole All-Ireland medal in that grade.

Senior

Maher made his senior competitive debut for Tipperary in a National League game against Dublin in 2009.

Later that year Maher made his championship debut for Tipp. He subsequently won his first Munster medal as Tipp defeated Waterford by 4–14 to 2–16.[10] After a six-week lay-off and a facile semi-final win over Limerick, Tipperary qualified for an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. For much of the match it looked as if Tipp would pull off a shock and deny 'the Cats' a record-equalling four-in-a-row. Two quick goals in the space of a minute, one from a penalty by Henry Shefflin, sealed a 2–22 to 0–23 victory and defeat for Tipperary.[11] In spite of falling short Maher was later presented with a coveted All-Star award.[12] He was also named in the 2009 Opel hurling team of the year.[13]

After surrendering their Munster title to Cork, Tipperary regrouped in the qualifiers and reached a second successive All-Ireland decider. Kilkenny, decimated by injuries to key players including the great Henry Shefflin and 4 key defenders, but nevertheless chasing an unprecedented fifth successive championship, provided the opposition and a great game was expected. Tipperary got off to a great start which was bolstered by an early Lar Corbett goal. He subsequently completed a hat-trick of goals and Tipperary had a fourth by Noel McGrath to deny Kilkenny's drive-for-five and secure a remarkable and convincing 4–17 to 1–18 victory.[14] It was Maher's first All-Ireland winners' medal.

Tipperary returned as provincial kingpins once again in 2011. A 7–19 to 0–19 trouncing of Waterford in the southern decider gave Maher a second Munster medal.[15] For the third successive year, Tipperary faced off against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, however, on this occasion Kilkenny were slight underdogs going up against the new champions. Kilkenny started quickly and never surrendered the lead in the 2–17 to 1–16 victory.[16] Maher later won a second All-Star award while he was also a nominee for Hurler of the Year.[17]

In spite of an indifferent National League campaign, Tipperary were regarded as potential All-Ireland champions once again. A 2–17 to 0–16 defeat of Waterford in the provincial decider gave Maher a third Munster medal in four seasons.[18] Tipperary later faced eventual champions Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final, but despite confidence from the supporters of the Munstermen who travelled in huge numbers to the game, Kilkenny came out on top, dishing out a humiliating 4–24 to 1–15 defeat.[19]

In October 2014, Maher won his third All Stars Award after a successful 2014 campaign where Tipperary reached the All-Ireland Final.[20]

On 4 September 2016, playing alongside his younger brother Ronan, Maher won his second All-Ireland Senior hurling title when Tipperary defeated Kilkenny in the final by 2-29 to 2-20. He would go on to win his fourth All Stars Award.[21][22]

On 28 November 2016, Maher was named as the new captain of the Tipperary Senior hurling team for 2017.[23][24]

Inter-provincial

Maher has also lined out with Munster in the Inter-provincial Championship.

Honours

Tipperary
Thurles Sarsfields
Awards

References

  1. ↑ "Senior Hurling Panel". Tipperary GAA website. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "Sar's bag title number 30". Breaking News website. 18 October 2009. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  3. ↑ "Thurles Sarsfields power past Clonoulty/Rossmore". Thurles info website. 30 October 2010. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Composed Thurles add to their haul". Irish Times. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "Tipp break Galway hearts in MHC final". RTÉ Sport. 3 September 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  6. ↑ "Tipperary claim minor title". Irish Times. 2 September 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  7. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Kilkenny 2–13 Tipperary 0–15". RTÉ Sport. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. ↑ O'Toole, Fintan (29 July 2010). "Tipp take another step forward". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Tipperary crown an outstanding week". Irish Times. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  10. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Tipperary 4–14 Waterford 2–16". RTÉ Sport. 12 July 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
  11. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Kilkenny 2–22 Tipperary 0–23". RTÉ Sport. 6 September 2009. Retrieved 7 September 2009.
  12. ↑ "Kilkenny take six All Stars". RTÉ Sport. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  13. ↑ "Opel Hurling Team of the Year is named". RTÉ Sport. 29 October 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  14. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Tipperary 4–17 Kilkenny 1–18". RTÉ Sport. 5 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  15. ↑ "Tipp show appetite for destruction". Irish Times. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  16. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Kilkenny 2–17 Tipperary 1–16". RTÉ Sport. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  17. ↑ "Player of the Year nominees announced". RTÉ Sport. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  18. ↑ Clerkin, Malachy (16 July 2012). "Clinical Tipperary complete first task". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  19. ↑ Moran, Seán (30 August 2012). "Kilkenny trample over Tipp tradition". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  20. ↑ "Tipperary earn more hurling All Stars than the Cats as Richie Hogan and James O'Donoghue land top awards". Irish Independent. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  21. ↑ "Tipperary 2-29 Kilkenny 2-20". Munster GAA. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  22. ↑ "Analysis: How Tipperary finally overcame Kilkenny to claim All-Ireland senior hurling glory". The 42. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  23. ↑ "From one Maher to another - Tipperary announce new senior hurling captain". The 42. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  24. ↑ "Switching skippers will 'freshen up' Tipp, insists Maher". Irish Independent. 29 November 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Brendan Maher		 Tipperary Senior Hurling Captain
2017- 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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