Galway inspiration Maher bows out at the top

Galway camogie star Therese Maher has announced her retirement from the inter-county game after finally ending a 17-year wait for an All-Ireland title last year.

Maher (33) will continue playing with her club Athenry.

Maher was named Player of the Match as she helped Galway to claim a first All-Ireland title since the year before she joined the squad as a 16-year-old in 1997, and accordion to Galway manager Tony Ward her dedication to the maroon shirt set her apart from her peers.

“She’ll be a huge loss to us, but it was always going to happen some time. Maybe at the back of our minds we expected it a little bit, but it still came as a shock.

“She went 17 years without injury and she has a bit of a problem with her knee at the minute. She felt the time was right,” said Ward, who masterminded Galway senior and intermediates titles last year.

And while he had his fears that the five-time All-Star was about to end her stint with the county, Ward said they were sorry to see her go.

“We all know about her brilliance on the field, but it was her capacity to pull a team together when things weren’t going well that was outstanding. All the players looked up to her young and old.

“After 17 year she really deserved that medal. It wasn’t as if she was there making up the numbers either, she had the game of her life in Croke Park. I feel she thought the right time had come to finish up.”