Pádraic Maher

Pádraic Maher (born 9 February 1989) is an Irish former hurler who previously played for Tipperary Senior Championship club Thurles Sarsfields and at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team.

He usually lined out as a centre-back.

Maher first came to prominence as a hurler with Thurles CBS.

He played in every grade before eventually joining the senior hurling team as a 15-year-old.

On 12 March 2005, Maher lined out at full-back when Thurles CBS suffered a 1-11 to 1-06 defeat by St. Flannan's College from Ennis in the Harty Cup final.

As a student at the Garda Síochána College in Templemore, Maher immediately became involved with the college's senior hurling team.

He won back-to-back Minor Championship medals in 2006 and 2007 before claiming back-to-back Under-21 Championship medals in 2008 and 2009.

Maher was just 17-years-old when he made his first appearance for the club's senior team during the 2006 Tipperary Senior Championship.

Maher first played for Tipperary as a member of the minor team during the 2006 Munster Championship.

On 25 June 2006, he was an unused substitute when Tipperary suffered a 2-20 to 1-15 defeat by Cork in the Munster final.

Maher made his first appearance for the team on 15 July 2006 when he lined out at full-back in Tipperary's 4-19 to 0-12 defeat of Carlow in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

Maher retained his position on the starting fifteen when Tipperary faced Galway in the All-Ireland final on 3 September 2006.

He ended the game with a winners' medal following the 2-18 to 2-07 victory.

On 8 July 2007, Maher was at full-back when Tipperary won the Munster Championship following an 0-18 to 1-11 defeat of Cork in the final.

On 2 September 2007, he was again at full-back for the All-Ireland final against Cork.

He claimed a second successive winners' medal following a 3-14 to 2-11 victory.

On 19 October 2008, Maher lined out at full-back against Toomevara in his first Tipperary Senior Championship final.

He ended the game on the losing side following a 2-14 to 0-17 defeat.

Maher was drafted onto the Tipperary under-21 team in advance of the 2008 Munster Championship.

He made his first appearance for the team on 17 July 2008 when he lined out at full-back in a 1-13 to 0-15 defeat of Limerick.

Maher played in a second successive final on 18 October 2009 when he lined out at full-back against Drom-Inch.

The game ended on a sour note when Drom-Inch midfielder James Woodlock was stretchered off the field with a suspected fractured ankle after a clash with Maher.

"James clashed with my leg – it was a horrific injury," said Maher after collecting his first winners' medal following a 0-14 to 0-05 victory.

On 31 October 2010, Maher lined out in a third successive final.

Playing once again at full-back, he ended the game with a second successive winners' medal while he also claimed the man of the match award after a 1-16 to 1-07 defeat of Clonoulty-Rossmore.

Maher was appointed captain of the team for the 2012 Tipperary Senior Championship.

On 14 October 2012, he captained the team from centre-back when Thurles Sarsfields faced Drom-Inch in the final.

Maher claimed a third winners' medal in four seasons after a 1-21 to 2-15 victory.

On 25 November 2012, he captained Thurles Sarsfields to their very first Munster Club Championship title after a 1-21 to 1-16 defeat of De La Salle in the Munster final.

On 2 November 2014, Maher lined out in his fifth final with Thurles Sarsfields.

Playing in his now usual position of centre-back, he collected a fourth winners' medal after a 2-22 to 3-11 victory over defending champions Loughmore-Castleiney.

Maher was appointed Thurles Sarsfields captain for the second time in his career for the 2015 Tipperary Senior Championship.

On 25 October 2015, he captained the team from centre-back in a second consecutive final appearance with Nenagh Éire Óg providing the opposition.

Maher ended the game with a fifth winners' medal after the 1-18 to 3-11 victory.

Maher retained the club captaincy for the 2016 Tipperary Senior Championship.

On 16 October 2016, he claimed his sixth winners' medal when Thurles Sarsfields completed their first three-in-a-row since 1965 after a 0-27 to 1-15 defeat of Kiladangan in the final.

On 25 February 2017, he won a Ryan Cup medal after lining out in a 5-23 to 1-8 defeat of the Institute of Technology, Sligo in the final.

Maher joined the Thurles Sarsfield's club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels and enjoyed much success.

On 8 October 2017, Maher captained Thurles Sarsfields for the third year in-a-row as the club reached a fourth successive final.

He won his seventh championship medal after scoring a point from centre-back in the 1-24 to 0-11 defeat of Borris-Ileigh.