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 one All-Ireland winners' medal and two Munster winners' medals. He has ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on two occasion.
At club level Maher is a one-time county intermediate championship medallist with Lorrha-Dorrha.
Playing career
Club
Maher has enjoyed some success with the Lorrha-Dorrha GAA club. In 2007 he won a county intermediate championship medal following a 3-9 to 1-13 defeat of Ballina GAA.
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]
Honours
Tipperary
References
Tipperary - 2007 All-Ireland Minor Hurling Champions (18th title) |
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Tipperary - 2010 All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Champions (9th title) |
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Tipperary - 2009 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship runners-up |
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Tipperary - 2010 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Champions (26th title) |
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Tipperary - 2011 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship runners-up |
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Tipperary - 2014 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship runners-up |
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Munster – 2013 Inter-Provincial Hurling Champions (45th title) |
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