Patrick Maher (hurler)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Pádraig Ó Meachair | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Centre-forward | ||
| Born |
12 October 1989 Ballinasloe, County Galway, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Nickname | Bonner | ||
| Occupation | Army Private | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
2007-present | Lorrha–Dorrha | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Tipperary titles | 0 | ||
| Colleges(s) | |||
| Years | College | ||
| Dublin Institute of Technology | |||
| College titles | |||
| Fitzgibbon titles | 0 | ||
| Inter-county(ies)* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
2009-2024 | Tipperary | 45 (7-26) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 5 | ||
| All-Irelands | 3 | ||
| NHL | 0 | ||
| All Stars | 2 | ||
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of match played 22 May 2022. | |||
Patrick "Bonner" Maher (born 12 October 1989) is an Irish hurler. He was part of the Tipperary senior team from 2009 until retiring in 2024.[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 three All-Ireland winners' medals (2010, 2016, & 2019) and five Munster winners' medals (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 & 2016). He has ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on three occasions (2009, 2011 & 2014). Maher also picked up his first and All-Star for his role in getting Tipperary to the All-Ireland final in 2014 and in 2016 won a second.
Army Career
[edit]Maher was a 3 Star Private in the Irish Army from 2012 to 2022. He survived overseas with the UN in Syria and Golan Heights.
Playing career
[edit]Club
[edit]At club level Maher is a one-time county intermediate championship medallist with Lorrha–Dorrha. The men from Lower Ormond 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
[edit]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
[edit]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 left Ireland for six months army service in a peacekeeping mission to the Golan Heights in Syria.[14][15]
On 16 June 2019, Maher was stretchered off in first-half injury-time after appearing to twist his knee in an awkward fall in Tipperary's 1-22 to 0-21 defeat of Limerick.[16] A scan subsequently revealed that he had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, an injury which ended his season.[17][18]
On 22 May 2021, it was announced that Maher would miss the remainder of the 2021 season after suffering an Achilles injury in training on the previous Thursday which required surgery. [19][20][21]
On 7 October 2024, Maher announced his retirement from inter-county hurling.[22][23]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of match played 22 May 2022
| Team | Year | National League | Munster | All-Ireland | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | Apps | Score | ||
| Tipperary- | 2009 | Division 1 | 7 | 1-01 | 0 | 0-00 | 0 | 0-00 | 7 | 1-01 |
| 2010 | 1 | 0-00 | 0 | 0-00 | 5 | 0-03 | 6 | 0-03 | ||
| 2011 | 7 | 0-05 | 3 | 1-01 | 2 | 0-00 | 12 | 1-06 | ||
| 2012 | Division 1A | 0 | 0-00 | 3 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 4 | 0-00 | |
| 2013 | 4 | 1-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 6 | 1-00 | ||
| 2014 | 5 | 3-02 | 1 | 1-00 | 6 | 2-04 | 12 | 6-06 | ||
| 2015 | 3 | 1-00 | 2 | 0-05 | 1 | 0-01 | 6 | 1-06 | ||
| 2016 | 3 | 0-00 | 3 | 0-01 | 2 | 0-02 | 8 | 0-03 | ||
| 2017 | — | 0 | 0-00 | 4 | 0-03 | 4 | 0-03 | |||
| 2018 | 6 | 1-05 | 4 | 1-02 | — | 10 | 2-07 | |||
| 2019 | 6 | 1-00 | 4 | 1-03 | — | 10 | 2-03 | |||
| 2020 | — | — | 2 | 1-00 | 2 | 1-00 | ||||
| 2021 | 2 | 0-00 | — | — | 2 | 0-00 | ||||
| 2022 | 1 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-01 | — | 2 | 0-01 | |||
| Total | 45 | 8-13 | 22 | 4-13 | 23 | 3-13 | 91 | 15-39 | ||
Honours
[edit]Tipperary
[edit]- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship:
- Munster Senior Hurling Championship:
- National Hurling League:
- All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship:
- Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship:
- All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship:
- Winner (1): 2007
- Munster Minor Hurling Championship:
- Winner (1): 2007
- Individual
- All Star Award (2): 2014, 2016
References
[edit]- ^ "Profile: Patrick Maher". Hurling Stats website. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
- ^ "Rebel goals rattle Tipp". Irish Examiner. 9 July 2007. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- ^ "Dunne: Minor must get time to develop". Irish Examiner. 3 September 2007. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
- ^ "Tipperary settle after early Clare blitz and finish strongly". Irish Times. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
- ^ "Tipperary claim Under-21 hurling crown". RTÉ Sport. 11 September 2010. Archived from the original on 14 September 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
- ^ "Tipperary hurlers too strong for Wexford". Irish Examiner. Thomas Crosbie Holdings. 3 July 2010. Retrieved 7 July 2010.
- ^ Breheny, Martin (6 September 2010). "Rampant Tipp deny Cats immortality". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
- ^ Lawlor, Damian (12 September 2010). "Five-star Tipp cruise to title". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
- ^ "Everyone goes through their bad patch - last year was mine, says Tipp's Maher". Irish Independent. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ^ "Friday Profile: 'Bonner is a guy you would bring to war with you'". Irish Independent. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Tipperary 2-29 Kilkenny 2-20". Munster GAA. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ^ "Analysis: How Tipperary finally overcame Kilkenny to claim All-Ireland senior hurling glory". The 42. 5 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
- ^ "Tipperary All-Ireland winner preparing for 6-month Army peace-keeping role in Syria". The 42. 15 September 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2016.
- ^ "Galway more than aware of 'Bonner' Maher threat". Irish Times. 2 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
- ^ Hogan, Vincent (16 June 2019). "Tipperary hold off Limerick to set up Munster final rematch but Premier county left with major injury concerns". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ Verney, Michael (18 June 2019). "Tipp hit with devastating 'Bonner' blow as Maher ruled out for rest of the championship with ACL tear". Irish Independent. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
- ^ "Injured 'Bonner' enjoyed All-Ireland win". Hogan Stand. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- ^ "Tipperary's Patrick Bonner Maher out for the season". Irish Times. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Tipp boss Sheedy confirms Bonner Maher gone for season: 'He's such a loss to the Championship'". Irish Examiner. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Bonner injury "a tough pill to swallow" - Sheedy". Hogan Stand. 22 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ "Patrick 'Bonner' Maher calls time on Tipperary career". RTE Sport. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
- ^ "Tipperary's Patrick 'Bonner' Maher calls time on his inter-county career after 16 years". Irish Independent. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.