Maher’s mission to finally end heartache

Cyril Farrell maintained that Galway’s spell of camogie supremacy in the mid-’90s was delivered by one individual.

“If Sharon Glynn went well, Galway would carry the day,” he noted repeatedly.

Glynn accepts the compliment but very quickly points out that Therese Maher wasn’t long in taking over her mantle.

The talismanic former Galway forward, who later returned as manager, recalls the Sunday morning Maher announced herself to the inter-county scene.

There and then, Glynn knew full well Galway had found something special with this kid.

“She was introduced as a sub in the All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny and sure she was only 16, she had captained the Galway minors to All-Ireland glory earlier that year.

“Therese came on and got 1-1. She had one of those really old black mycro helmets and it was miles too big for her. The minute she came in she added a spark to it. But she was only a child really.

“I remember the first ball she got down in Tracey Millea’s corner and the Kilkenny women wouldn’t be sparing you in those days, she took the lashes and no way did she buckle. It was head down and straight for goal.

“From that day you knew she had what it took.”

That was 1997.

Sixteen summers later and Therese Maher is still operating in the maroon and white. The final page is this particular journey has been turned, however.

Tomorrow represents the closing scene of Maher’s coloured career and should Galway fail to lift the O’Duffy Cup her September record will extend to six defeats, no win.

Despite her promising showing when introduced in the ’97 semi-final, Maher failed to merit a starting berth for the decider and many speculated afterwards that her omission cost Galway a second successive title.

“She came on with 20 minutes to go and made a huge impression. If she was on the field longer the result would probably have been different, she turned the whole thing on its head,” recalled Glynn.

Maher was an automatic choice the following summer and though the decider was once more reached, once more Cork proved too strong.

Galway slipped down camogie’s pecking order in the ensuing years, struggling on many occasions to secure their place in even the penultimate round. One constant remained however.

“Through the years, you played Therese Maher and you picked the team around her,” claimed Imelda Mullins, Galway’s sole All-Ireland winning captain.

“She was the workhorse, the leader; the one players looked up to. When things didn’t go well for Therese, seldom did they go right for Galway.”

The Westerners returned to the showpiece event in 2008 with Cork again putting paid to their dreams of glory.

The four-time All Star recipient had the distinction of captaining the Tribeswomen to the 2010 decider against Wexford, but Galway’s effort never even left the runway.

In case you have lost count at this point, that’s now four All-Ireland final defeats.

And still she kept coming back.

With each passing year, however, worsened by September heartbreak, the Athenry club woman found it more and more difficult to return to the fold.

The body ached, but the heart would not allow it rest. Prior to the 2011 final Maher revealed retirement had been close to her thoughts. “I have considered it of course. After every loss you tend to wonder will I ever win one, will I ever get to that All-Ireland again? But the winter passes and you dust of your boots and get back into it again. You say ‘I’ll give it one more year’.”

Galway came a cropper in that final, but it will be forever remembered not for Wexford’s late resurgence, rather the display turned in by Maher.

“2011 was a monumental performance from Therese from start to finish,” asserts Mary O’Connor. “Sometimes players can’t dictate a 60-minute game, but she dictated from start to finish. She was at her best on that day. Albeit they didn’t carry the day, there had to be some solace for Therese Maher in that she could have done no more.”

“There were tears in my eyes watching her after the final,” admitted her former team-mate. “At 30-years of age she had Una Leacy to contend with and a Wexford team at the height of their powers and she stood head and shoulders above every one of them.”

To her immense credit, she rolled the dice for the 2012 campaign, underwent knee surgery following the league, but resumed her centre-back slot for the championship. Cork showed Galway the exit door at the semi-final juncture and the question surfaced once more. Had we seen the last of Therese Maher? Tony Ward put in the phone call in early spring and revealed it was one of the most nerve-wracking he ever made. Maher was on the fence, but committed to one more go. This time, she meant it.

Glynn laughs that she had her pencilled in to join the retired brigade from 2008 onwards.

“It wasn’t her age I was thinking about, it was the length of her service she has given in the Galway jersey. There were probably two or three days where she was off-colour in 17 years. Every day she delivered, some day’s she was out on her own. She’s 33 in March and you can’t keep going forever.”

Mary O’Connor acknowledges that the build-up to tomorrow has centred on Maher and her elusive quest, and while the six-time All-Ireland medal winner stresses that Celtic Crosses do not define a player, tell that to someone who has spent over half their life searching for one.

The final word to Ward: “Hopefully Sunday will be remembered as the Therese Maher final, the one where she finally get’s her just reward.”