Patrick Maher (hurler)

Patrick Maher
Personal information
Irish name Pádraig Ó Meachair
Sport Hurling
Position Centre Forward
Born (1989-10-12) 12 October 1989
Clonmel, Ireland
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Nickname Bonnar
Occupation Army Officer
Club(s)
Years Club
2007- Lorrha-Dorrha
Inter-county(ies)
Years County Apps (scores)
2009- Tipperary 32 (4-17)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 5
All-Irelands 2
NHL 0
All Stars 2

Patrick "Bonnar" Maher (born 12 October 1989) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a centre-forward for the Tipperary senior team.[1]

Maher joined the team straight out of the minor grade during the 2009 championship, however, he didn't become a regular member of the starting fifteen until the following year. Since then he has won two All-Ireland winners' medals (2010 & 2016) and four Munster winners' medals (2011, 2012, 2015 & 2016). He has ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasions (2011 & 2014). Maher also picked up his first and only All-Star for his role in getting Tipperary to the All-Ireland final in 2014.

Playing career

Club

At club level Maher is a one-time county intermediate championship medallist with Lorrha-Dorrha. The men from Lower Ormund defeated Moycarkey-Borris from Mid Tipperary in the 2007 County Final on a scoreline of 1-11 to 0-11. Lorrha defeated Ballina in the North Tipperary final en route to the County final that year on a scoreline of 3-9 to 1-13. Maher - who was still only a minor that year - scored a late goal which put Lorrha in a winning position.

Minor and under-21

Maher first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor team in 2007. He won a Munster medal in this grade that year following an 0-18 to 1-11 defeat of Cork.[2] Tipp subsequently defeated Kilkenny to qualify for the All-Ireland final. Cork, the defeated Munster finalists, provided the opposition and a high-scoring game developed over the course of the hour. At the full-time whistle Tipp were the champions by 3-14 to 2-11 and Maher added an All-Ireland medal to his collection.[3]

Maher subsequently graduated onto the Tipperary under-21 hurling team. In 2010 Tipp defeated Clare in the provincial decider by 1-22 to 1-17, giving Maher his second Munster under-21 winners' medal having previously won one in 2008 at wing half forward .[4] Tipp subsequently qualified for an All-Ireland meeting with Galway, which Tipperary won by 5-21 to 0-11.[5] It was Maher's first All-Ireland under-21 winners' medal.

Senior

Maher made his Senior inter-county debut for Tipperary against Waterford in the 2009 Waterford Crystal Cup, lining out at left half-forward, and scored a goal against Clare in the 2009 Waterford Crystal Cup Final. He made his debut in the National Hurling League in February 2009, lining out at centre-forward against Waterford and scoring a point in a 2–13 to 1–12 Tipperary victory. Maher went on to make his Championship debut at left half-forward on 3 July 2010 against Wexford in the 2010 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Qualifiers, scoring two points from play.[6]

On 5 September 2010, Maher started at left half-forward as Tipperary won their 26th All Ireland title, beating reigning champions Killkenny by 4–17 to 1–18 in the final, preventing Kilkenny from achieving an historic 5-in-a-row, it was Maher's first All-Ireland winners medal.[7] Six day's later on 11 September 2010, Tipperary clinched the All Ireland Under-21 title by defeating Galway by 5–22 to 0–12 at Semple Stadium, with Maher starting at centre half forward and scoring a goal in the second half.[8] Patrick was nominated for an All-star award in 2010, 2011 and 2012. GAA/GPA player of the month for June 2012. Munster senior hurling Player of the Year 2012. In 2013 Maher joined the Irish army.[9][10]

In October 2014, Maher won his first All Stars Award after a successful 2014 campaign where Tipperary reached the All-Ireland Final.[11]

On 4 September 2016, Maher won his second All-Ireland Senior hurling title when Tipperary defeated Kilkenny in the final by 2-29 to 2-20.[12][13]

In October 2016, Maher will leave Ireland for six months army service in a peacekeeping mission to the Golan Heights in Syria.[14]

Honours

Tipperary

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Profile: Patrick Maher". Hurling Stats website. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  2. ↑ "Rebel goals rattle Tipp". Irish Examiner. 2007-07-09. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
  3. ↑ "Dunne: Minor must get time to develop". Irish Examiner. 2007-09-03. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
  4. ↑ "Tipperary settle after early Clare blitz and finish strongly". Irish Times. 2010-07-29. Retrieved 2010-07-31.
  5. ↑ "Tipperary claim Under-21 hurling crown". RTÉ Sport. 2010-09-11. Retrieved 2010-09-12.
  6. ↑ "Tipperary hurlers too strong for Wexford". Irish Examiner. Thomas Crosbie Holdings. 2010-07-03. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  7. ↑ Breheny, Martin (2010-09-06). "Rampant Tipp deny Cats immortality". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  8. ↑ Lawlor, Damian (2010-09-12). "Five-star Tipp cruise to title". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
  9. ↑ "Everyone goes through their bad patch - last year was mine, says Tipp's Maher". Irish Independent. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  10. ↑ "Friday Profile: 'Bonner is a guy you would bring to war with you'". Irish Independent. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "Tipperary 2-29 Kilkenny 2-20". Munster GAA. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  13. ↑ "Analysis: How Tipperary finally overcame Kilkenny to claim All-Ireland senior hurling glory". The 42. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  14. ↑ "Tipperary All-Ireland winner preparing for 6-month Army peace-keeping role in Syria". The 42. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
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