‘It’s all going to plan — so far’
There is an awkwardness in the air.
It’s 2005 and Borris-Ileigh, chasing a first north Tipperary title since 1988, are placing their trust in a boy almost half the age of his oldest brother. The entire village knows of Brendan Maher’s talent but this is a big ask for an U16 on his full club championship debut. The collected panel, standing on the far sideline of Bishop Quinlan Park, couldn’t be more aware of what’s at stake.
It’s a trophy worth its weight too, just ask Liam Sheedy and the Portroe side he coached to a maiden north title this year. Borris ended their famine against Nenagh and captain Philip Rabbitte borrowed a famous 1987 Munster final line from Richard Stakelum, of the same parish, to signal its end.
But for that moment it all centred on a teenager.
“I can remember thinking ‘Jeez, I shouldn’t be starting’ and I went out then and things just fell my way,” recalls Maher, who wore 15 that day but played in a roving role.
“I got three points and that was what started it off. That year, I was after being called into the minors, Liam Sheedy called me in, and that’s where I got going and started performing.
“I came on for about two minutes in the [north Tipp] quarter-final against Roscrea. The first thing I got was a line ball and what I remember was Sean roaring at me don’t hit it wide.” Did you? “I didn’t, no,” he laughs.
“The north final though, I was 16, I didn’t really realise how big of a game it was. That’s the one thing I can remember going into it. I was actually disappointed because I was started and Sean, my oldest brother, was dropped.
“I would have been U16 that year; the following year, the rule came in where U16s couldn’t play senior so I think it was half because of me.
“I started corner-forward and I can remember Ger O’Neill, Don Ryan, Philly Bourke and them lads were over it, and they told me they didn’t want me in around the full-forward line getting beat around the place so they told me to go where I wanted. I was able to roam around which suits me I suppose, pick up loose ball. It worked out on the day.”
Maher has had his highs and lows in the blue and gold jersey and while the 2010 All-Ireland final copper-fastened his place as Young Hurler of the Year, the extreme peak and trough of his hurling map have both been plotted in defeat.
His most enjoyable game on a hurling pitch came for Tipperary. “I know we lost it, but the 2009 All-Ireland I really enjoyed because it was kind of my first experience of the full house in Croke Park. An unbelievable atmosphere and I suppose it was our first All-Ireland in a while so that one sticks in my head.”
No doubt his least favourite game, when he again featured at wing-back, claws much deeper. “Last year’s All-Ireland,” he admits, unsurprisingly. “I suppose the fact that I didn’t start, I was disappointed going into the game anyway, and it was a tough mental challenge to try and get prepared.
“And then I suppose the way the match went, we felt we under-performed which is always something any team… like, when you perform and come out the wrong side of it, it’s not as bad as when you know if you did perform you would have won. So that’s probably the worst game.”
Maher returned to the starting 15 in 2012 and though he is happy to play in any position where there is action, he feels midfield best suits his skill set. Michael Fennelly and Michael Rice were heralded for their performances in last year’s All-Ireland final and now, back between the 65s, Maher has a chance to redress the balance.
“Obviously Michael Fennelly is a big man, he’s 6’4”, a lot bigger than myself and Shane [McGrath]. We see it as a challenge.”
But what of his own form this season, back in the number eight shirt?
“I wouldn’t say I’m pleased but I’m happy with the way I’m improving every game, which is a good sign. I’m happy in that sense but I know I could have maybe been a bit more free in games.
“Maybe I was getting a bit nervous, the fact that I was just back and was just getting back into the team. You’d feel a bit of pressure to perform. I enjoyed the Munster final, thought I performed well in the second half especially and training has been going good and club form has been going good.”
Fennelly’s big hit on McGrath during the first half of the All-Ireland final has since been held up as the personification of Kilkenny’s greater hunger on the day, a statement of intent that Tipp never fully responded to.
“Last year, straight after the game it was said to me by a Kilkenny player, ‘the only difference between the two teams was hunger, ye had it last year and we had it this year’,” Maher explains.
“So it’s kind of evened out this year so I don’t think it’s going to come into play; both teams have something to play for. Kilkenny have been accused of losing form and we’ve been accused of not getting back to the form of 2010 so there’s something for both teams there. I think it’s going to be a great game.”
That it may be but after failing to score until the 16th minute of last year’s final, it is important that Tipperary rediscover the art of a rolling start. Holding Kilkenny to just a single point from play in the opening 23 minutes of the 2010 final contributed to that success but there has been a perception of sluggish or flat take-offs since.
This year, both Limerick and Waterford had scores on the board while Tipp were still limbering up, and Cork should have notched goals in double-quick time last year given their early chances. Clare, meanwhile, went 1-3 to no score up in the sides’ Munster bout in 2011.
To the Premier County’s credit they have been able to recover all but once during Declan Ryan’s championship tenure and have won all three summertime matches this season despite being behind at half-time in two [Cork and Limerick], and level in the other against Waterford.
“I don’t think we’re starting flat,” argues Maher.
“Waterford came out all guns blazing, Cork as well. I think the fact that we were favourites in them games, the underdogs are always going to have that bit more hunger.
“The first 20 minutes of the game, if you’re an underdog going in, your manager is going to be saying to you to go all out, throw everything at them. I think that’s what happened against Waterford, they threw everything at us in the first half and we weathered the storm and powered on in the second half.
“It’s not that we’re not starting well, it’s just that teams are going for it against us. The next day is going to be different, it’s going to be more 50-50; Kilkenny are known for their starts.”
In other words, Tipp will be looking to match intensity with the reigning champions. Without that crucial platform, it will be difficult for Tipperary to implement the sort of gameplan that delivered Liam MacCarthy in 2010 and won the Bob O’Keeffe Cup for Galway this season — one of pace and movement.
“That’s the way they have been beaten before so obviously we’re going to try and do that,” says Maher. “But it’s the same when you’re playing every team, you match them for physicality and I suppose Kilkenny have a lot of that so we’re going to have to up our game.
“We want to bring our element to the game as well, we have great passers of the ball and great movers off the ball, so we’re going to use that to our advantage as well.”
Tipperary shifted the plates with their net-busting victory in 2010 but Kilkenny moved heaven and earth to regain their title — as Brian Cody made the notable decision of switching to man-marking in defence, with huge success. So the Cats changed their coat to win back Liam MacCarthy, have Tipp evolved in response, you ask?
“Our forwards are going to be thinking a lot differently this year,” Maher answers. “There was probably an element of surprise that they [Kilkenny] changed last year, it was the first time they’d ever done it.
“The boys [Tipp management] have been talking to each other about things they might do differently this year, or things they might do position wise or using space and so on.”
The inference being that Tipperary have learned and it’s on the training ground where the wrongs are being put right, with Maher admitting there were warning signs in Dr Morris Park this time last year heading into the final-four meeting with Dublin.
“We learned from the long break last year, maybe training went a bit dead before the Dublin game so we had that on our minds after the Munster final this year,” he says.
“We’ve had brilliant lads coming in from U21 and lads off the intermediate panel for training matches to make 15 on 15 which is brilliant. You try to replicate a championship match. Training is good, lads are fighting for places, and there’s great competition so it’s all going to plan so far.”
Having played in three successive All-Irelands and picking up four of the five most recent Munster titles, there is a perception that this team has been on the road for quite some time. Maher takes an alternative view.
“We have a very young team,” he says. “I know we have a couple of lads who would be towards the end of their career but the majority of the team, if you look at the ages, there’s a lot around 23 or 24 or 25, which is a young side.
“The fact that we’re contesting All-Irelands even though we’re still developing is a good sign.”
With all eyes on Croke Park, the 23-year-old will hope a repeat of his 2005 and 2010 precocity will ensure they contest yet another.
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