Commanding Michael Maher was Tipp’s rock

Legendary Tipperary hurler Michael Maher, whose death has occurred, was the last surviving member of the fearsome full-back line famously known as ‘Hell’s Kitchen’, having been predeceased by Kieran Carey and John Doyle.

He annexed all of the game’s major honours — highlighted by his haul of five All-Irelands, his first coming in 1958 at the age of 28 — and also had a distinguished involvement at administrative level which ended in a failed bid for the presidency of the GAA in 1993.

Born into a farming family in Holycross in 1930, he was a nephew of Michael Maher of famed Tubberadora, who captained Tipperary to three All-Ireland wins and a cousin of ‘Sonny’ Maher, also a three-time medal winner.