Ronan Maher (hurler)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Rónán Ó Meachair | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Left wing-back | ||
| Born |
9 October 1995 Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Occupation | Garda Training | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
2012-present | Thurles Sarsfields | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Tipperary titles | 5 | ||
| Munster titles | 1 | ||
| Colleges(s) | |||
| Years | College | ||
2012-2017 | Mary Immaculate College | ||
| College titles | |||
| Fitzgibbon titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county(ies)* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
2014-present | Tipperary | 36 (0-24) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 2 | ||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| NHL | 0 | ||
| All Stars | 2 | ||
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of match played 22 May 2022. | |||
Ronan Maher (born 9 October 1995) is an Irish hurler who plays for Tipperary Senior Championship club Thurles Sarsfields and at inter-county level alongside his brother Pádraic with the Tipperary senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a left wing-back.[1]
Playing career[edit]
Thurles CBS[edit]
Maher first came to prominence as a hurler with Thurles CBS. He played in every grade before eventually joining the college's senior team and lined out in several Harty Cup campaigns.[2]
Mary Immaculate College[edit]
During his studies at Mary Immaculate College, Maher was selected for the college's senior hurling team during his second year. On 27 February 2016, he lined out at right wing-back when Mary Immaculate College faced the University of Limerick in the Fitzgibbon Cup final. Maher ended the game with a winners' medal following the 1-30 to 3-22 victory.[3]
On 25 February 2017, Maher again lined out at centre-back when Mary Immaculate College qualified for a second successive Fitzgibbon Cup final. He scored four points, including three from frees, and claimed a second successive winners' medal after a 3-24 to 1-19 defeat of the Carlow Institute of Technology.[4]
Thurles Sarsfields[edit]
Maher joined the Thurles Sarsfields club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. He won four Tipperary Under-21 Championship medals with the club between 2012 and 2016. Maher was added to the Thurles Sarsfields senior team for the 2012 Tipperary Senior Championship.
On 14 October 2012, Maher was a non-playing substitute when Thurles Sarsfields faced Drom-Inch in the final. He remained on the bench for the entire game but ended with a winners' medal following a 1-21 to 2-15 victory.[5] On 25 November 2012, Maher won a Munster Championship medal when he came on as an injury-time substitute in the 1-21 to 1-16 defeat of De La Salle.[6]
After surrendering their titles in 2013, Maher lined out in a second final on 2 November 2014. He claimed a second winners' medal, his first on the field of play, when he lined out at right wing-back following Thurles Sarsfields 2-22 to 3-11 defeat of reigning champions Loughmore-Castleiney.[7]
On 25 October 2015, Maher was at left wing-back when Thurles Sarsfields faced Nenagh Éire Óg in the Tipperary Senior Championship final. He ended the game with a third winners' medal following the 1-18 to 3-11 victory.[8]
Maher lined out at left wing-back when Thurles Sarsfields faced Kiladangan in the Tipperary Senior Championship final. He ended the game as man of the match in the 0-27 to 1-15 victory.[9]
On 8 October 2017, Maher lined out at right wing-back in a fourth successive final. He scored a point from play and ended the game with a fifth winners' medal following the 1-24 to 0-11 defeat of Borris-Ileigh.[10]
In July 2022, in the first round of the 2022 Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship against Borris-Ileigh, Maher broke a bone in his leg and was ruled out for the rest of the championship.[11]
Tipperary[edit]
Minor and under-21[edit]
Maher was just 16-years-old when he was selected for the Tipperary minor hurling team in advance of the 2012 Munster Championship. He made his first appearance for the team on 2 May 2012 when he lined out at right wing-back in a 6-21 to 0-11 defeat of Kerry.[12] On 15 July 2012, Ronan won a Munster Championship medal when he lined out at left corner-back in a 1-16 to 1-12 defeat of Clare in the final.[13] He was switched to right corner-back when Tipperary drew 2-13 to 1-16 with Dublin in the All-Ireland final.[14] Maher was again at right corner-forward for the replay on 30 September 2012. He ended the game with an All-Ireland medal following the 2-18 to 1-11 victory.[15]
Maher was switched to centre-back for the 2013 Munster Championship. He played his last game on the grade on 26 June 2013 in a 1-17 to 0-17 defeat by Limerick on 26 June 2013.[citation needed]
Maher joined the Tipperary under-21 hurling panel in advance of the 2014 Munster Championship. He made his first appearance for the team on 16 July 2014 when he lined out at right wing-back in a 5-19 to 1-25 defeat by Clare.[16]
After a disappointing 2015 Munster Championship, Maher was selected for the under-21 team for a third successive season in 2016. On 27 July, he lined out at right wing-back in a 2-19 to 0-15 defeat by Waterford in the Munster final.[17]
Senior[edit]
On 12 January 2014, Maher made his competitive debut for the Tipperary senior team in a 3-20 to 0-05 defeat of the Limerick Institute of Technology in the Waterford Crystal Cup.[18] He claimed a winners' medal in that competition on 7 February 2014,as Tipperary defeated Clare by 4-22 to 3-11 in the decider.[19] Maher made his National League debut on 15 February 2014 when he came on as a 59th-minute substitute for James Woodlock in a 2-13 to 0-16 defeat of Waterford.[20] On 4 May 2014, he was an unused substitute when Tipperary suffered a 2-25 to 1-27 defeat by Kilkenny in the National League final.[21]
On 12 July 2015, Maher was selected at left wing-back when Tipperary faced Waterford in the Munster final. He ended the game with a winners' medal following the 0-21 to 0-16 victory.[22]
Maher claimed a second successive Munster Championship medal on 10 July 2016 after lining out at centre-back in a 5-19 to 0-13 defeat of Waterford in the final.[23] On 5 September 2016, he again lined out at centre-back for Tipperary's All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny. Maher ended the game with an All-Ireland medal following a 2-29 to 2-20 victory.[24] He ended the season by winning an All-Star award.[25]
On 23 April 2017, Maher lined out at centre-back in his first National League final. He ended the game on the losing side after scoring two points in the 3-21 to 0-14 defeat by Galway.[26]
Maher played in a second consecutive National League final on 8 April 2018. Lining out at centre-back, he ended the game on the losing side following a 2-23 to 2-17 defeat by Kilkenny.[27]
On 30 June 2019, Maher lined out at left wing-back and scored two points from play when Tipperary suffered a 2-26 to 2-14 defeat by Limerick in the Munster final.[28] On 18 August 2019, he was selected at full-back when Tipperary faced Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final. Maher ended the game with a second All-Ireland winners' medal following the 3-25 to 0-20 victory.[29] He ended the season by being named in the full-back position on the All-Star team.[30]
In February 2022, Maher was named as the new captain of the Tipperary team.[31][32]
In January 2024, Maher was named as the captain of the Tipperary team for the second time. [33][34]
Career statistics[edit]
- As of match played 4 February 2023
| Team | Year | National League | Munster | All-Ireland | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | ||
| Tipperary | 2014 | Division 1A | 5 | 0-01 | 0 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 6 | 0-01 |
| 2015 | 7 | 0-03 | 2 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 10 | 0-03 | ||
| 2016 | 5 | 0-01 | 3 | 0-00 | 2 | 0-01 | 10 | 0-02 | ||
| 2017 | 7 | 0-04 | 1 | 0-00 | 4 | 0-01 | 12 | 0-05 | ||
| 2018 | 8 | 0-14 | 4 | 0-04 | — | 12 | 0-18 | |||
| 2019 | 6 | 0-02 | 5 | 0-05 | 3 | 0-04 | 14 | 0-11 | ||
| 2020 | 5 | 0-05 | 1 | 0-00 | 2 | 0-01 | 8 | 0-06 | ||
| 2021 | 4 | 0-09 | 2 | 0-02 | 1 | 0-03 | 7 | 0-14 | ||
| 2022 | 4 | 0-06 | 4 | 0-03 | — | 8 | 0-09 | |||
| 2023 | 1 | 0-03 | 1 | 0-03 | ||||||
| Total | 52 | 0-48 | 22 | 0-14 | 14 | 0-10 | 88 | 0-72 | ||
Honours[edit]
- Mary Immaculate College
- Fitzgibbon Cup (2): 2016, 2017
- Thurles Sarsfields
- Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship (1): 2012
- Tipperary Senior Hurling Championship (5): 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
- Tipperary Under-21 Hurling Championship (4): 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
- Tipperary
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (2): 2016, 2019
- Munster Senior Hurling Championship (2): 2015, 2016
- Waterford Crystal Cup (1): 2014
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship (1): 2012
- Munster Minor Hurling Championship (1): 2012
- Individual
- All Star Award (2): 2016, 2019
- The Sunday Game Team of the Year (2): 2016, 2019
References[edit]
- ^ "Profile: Ronan Maher". Tipperary GAA website. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ "Thurles dance to the tune of Lanigan's ball-striking to make last four". Irish Independent. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ Cormican, Eoghan (29 February 2016). "Eamonn Cregan hails heroic Mary I". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ Fallon, John (27 February 2017). "DJ Carey hails inspirational coach Jamie Wall as Mary I retain Fitzgibbon title". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ O'Flynn, Diarmuid (15 October 2012). "Thurles tyro McCormack helps Sars to Tipp title". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ O'Flynn, Diarmuid (26 November 2012). "Big guns fire super Sarsfields to promised land after battle royal". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ Moynihan, Michael (3 November 2014). "Speedy start puts Sars on road to 33rd title triumph". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ Fogarty, John (26 October 2015). "Tigerish Thurles Sarsfields triumph in titanic battle". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
- ^ Cahill, Jackie (17 October 2016). "Sarsfields honour 'The Rattler' in fitting style". Irish Independent. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ "Padraic Maher leads powerful Thurles Sarsfields to four in a row". Irish Examiner. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ "Tipp star Maher facing lengthy lay-off after leg break, Callanan 'flying it' since club return". The 42. 29 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
- ^ "McCarthy stars for Tipp". Irish Independent. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ Hurley, Denis (16 July 2012). "Double delight for Tipp young guns". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Winters rescues draw for Dublin Minors". Breaking News. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ "McGrath leads red-hot Tipp to promised land". Irish Independent. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ Cormican, Eoghan (17 July 2014). "Cunningham to rescue for Clare". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ McCarthy, Tomás (28 July 2016). "Waterford find extra gear to claim Munster U21 hurling title". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ "Early days but Tipp ticking along nicely". Irish Examiner. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ "Maher on the double as Tipp crush Banner". Irish Independent. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ Cahill, Jackie (15 February 2014). "Second half showing sees Tipperary beat Waterford in Allianz Hurling Division 1A". The 42. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
- ^ O'Rourke, Steve (4 May 2014). "Kilkenny win third Allianz Hurling League in a row with last-gasp win over Tipperary". The 42. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
- ^ McGoldrick, Seán (12 July 2015). "Tipperary claim Munster hurling title with tight win over Waterford". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ Breheny, Martin (11 July 2016). "Tipp torrents wash Deise hopes away". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ McGoldrick, Seán (4 September 2016). "Majestic Tipperary are All Ireland champions after victory over Kilkenny in Croke Park". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ O'Toole, Fintan (4 November 2016). "7 from Tipperary and 4 from Kilkenny - the 2016 All-Star hurling team". The 42. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
- ^ Small, Darragh (23 April 2017). "Clinical Galway leave Tipp reeling in league final". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ McGoldrick, Seán (8 April 2018). "Kilkenny whirlwind blows Tipperary away as Brian Cody claims ninth league title". Irish Independent. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
- ^ O'Toole, Fintan (30 June 2019). "More glory for Limerick as they lift Munster crown with 12-point win over Tipperary". The 42. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ^ McGoldrick, Seán (18 August 2019). "Tipperary are All-Ireland champions as Liam Sheedy's men see off 14-man Kilkenny in Croke Park". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ O'Toole, Fintan (26 September 2019). "11 players from Tipperary as 8 counties feature in 2019 All-Star hurling nominations". The 42. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
- ^ "Ronan Maher named captain as Tipp labour to win over Laois". Irish Examiner. 5 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ "Ronan Maher devastated by Tipperary's poor year". GAA.ie. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ "Liam Cahill: Tipperary need to win silverware in 2024". RTE Sport. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
- ^ "Tipperary captain Ronan Maher happy to use league as prep but 'wouldn't mind' spring silverware". Irish Independent. 22 March 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2024.