William Maher (hurler)

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William Maher
Personal information
Irish name Liam Ó Meachair
Sport Hurling
Position Midfield
Born (1979-03-06) 6 March 1979 (age 45)
Ballingarry,
County Tipperary, Ireland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Occupation Account manager
Club(s)
YearsClub
1996-2002
 Ballingarry
Club titles
Tipperary titles 0
Colleges(s)
YearsCollege
1997-2001
 Waterford Institute of Technology
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles 2
Inter-county(ies)
YearsCounty
1998-1999
 Tipperary
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 0
All-Irelands 0
NHL 1
All Stars 0

William Maher (born 6 March 1979 [1] ) is an Irish hurling coach selector and former player. At club level, he played with Ballingarry and at inter-county level played for Tipperary at all levels. Maher has also been involved as a coach and team manager at club and county levels in Tipperary, Waterford, Dublin, Laois and Kilkenny. He was appointed as the GAA's National Head of Hurling in January 2025. [2]

Contents

Playing career

Maher first played hurling to a high standard as a student at St Kieran's College in Kilkenny. He won several provincial titles in all grades, before claiming a Dr Croke Cup title following a 1–14 to 2–06 win over St Colman's College in the 1996 All-Ireland final. [3] Maher later attended Waterford Institute of Technology and won consecutive Fitzgibbon Cup medals in 1999 and 2000. [4]

At club level, Maher first played with the Ballingarry Gaels juvenile club. He won consecutive Tipperary MAHC titles in 1995 and 1996, before later claiming consecutive divisional U21AHC titles in 1997 and 1998. By that stage, he had also started playing at adult level as a dual player with Ballingarry. Maher won three South Tipperary SHC medals between 1996 and 2001. He also had a Gaelic football success in 1996, when the club won the South Tipperary JAFC title. [5]

Maher first appeared on the inter-county scene with Tipperary at minor level. He won consecutive Munster MHC medals, as well as captaining the team to the All-Ireland MHC title in 1996. [6] His subsequent three seasons with the under-21 team ended without success. Maher joined the senior team during the pre-season South-East League in 1998 and was a panel member when Tipperary won the National Hurling League title in 1999. A freak accident in a training match in February 2001 effectively ended his career. [7]

Coaching career

Maher's coaching career began at club level with Ballingarry. He was also part of Shay Boland's Dublin minor hurling management team in 2008. Maher's next inter-county position was as a selector with the Tipperary under-21 team. His two-year tenure saw the team claim the All-Ireland U21HC title in 2010 after a 5-22 to 0-12 defeat of Galway in the final.

Maher was appointed as Tipperary minor hurling team manager in October 2011. [8] His first season in charge saw the team win the All-Ireland MHC title following a 2-18 to 1-11 win over Dublin in the final. Maher became assistant manager of the Waterford senior hurling team in October 2013, but left the position after one season. [9] He served two seasons as manager of the Tipperary under-21 team, with one season also in charge of the intermediate team, but stepped down in July 2017. [10]

After being passed over for the Tipperary senior hurling team manager's position, Maher returned to club hurling and took charge of Cuala in November 2018, having earlier served as Ireland's joint-manager for the annual Shinty–Hurling International Series. [11] [12] He guided Cuala to consecutive Dublin SHC title in 2019 and 2020. Maher later had a season as a selector Bennettsbridge before being appointed Laois senior hurling team manager in September 2022. [13] His second season saw him guide the team to the Division 2A title, before losing the Joe McDonagh Cup final to Offaly. [14]

Honours

Player

St Kieran's College
Waterford Institute of Technology
Ballingarry
Tipperary

Management

Cuala
Tipperary
Laois

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References

  1. ↑ "The players who carry Tipp's All-Ireland hopes". The Nenagh Guardian. 31 August 1996. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  2. ↑ "GAA confirms appointment of William Maher as National Head of Hurling". Hogan Stand. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "Maher to meet old friend Boland in unlikely twist of fate". Irish Examiner. 5 September 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "Former Tipperary hurler William Maher explains how freak injury ended his playing career". Tipperary Live. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "William Maher". Hogan Stand. 28 January 2000. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  6. ↑ Cahill, Jackie (20 August 2012). "Premier make Maher's day again". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  7. ↑ Cahill, Jackie (30 December 2009). "Finding courage in adversity". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
  8. ↑ "Maher ratified as Tipp minor boss". Hogan Stand. 28 October 2011. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "William Maher plays down Dubs link after quitting Waterford". Irish Independent. 11 September 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  10. ↑ "William Maher steps down as Tipperary under-21 hurling manager". Tipperary Live. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  11. ↑ "Maher moves on from Tipp to take reins with Cuala". Irish Independent. 29 November 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  12. ↑ "Tipperary's William Maher is joint manager of Irish team for hurling/shinty international". Tipperar Live. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  13. ↑ "Willie Maher named Laois hurling manager". Irish Times. 13 September 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  14. ↑ "Willie Maher steps down from position as Laois senior hurling manager". Irish Examiner. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
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