John Maher on form for Galway after rocky start to career

ROCKY START: Galway’s John Maher had a rocky start with Galway but has grown into his role over recent seasons. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

John Maher versus Brian Fenton.

A Croke Park championship debutant versus a two-time footballer of the year.

A man making only his ninth championship start versus a six-time All-Star.

A mismatch, in effect. That’s not how the judges saw it.

For possessions, both men scored 23. For white flags raised, both men scored one each. For direct assists, Fenton scored nought, whereas Maher delivered the final pass for the 67th minute Johnny Heaney point that put Galway in front for the first time since the second minute.

For restarts won, Maher collected a pair off Connor Gleeson's boot, whereas Fenton, again, scored nought.

Maher’s brief was to keep tabs with the game’s outstanding midfielder of the past decade. He did more than that. So much more.

Injury kept the Salthill-Knocknacarra clubman out of Galway's opening two championship games in April. He was an early and hugely influential introduction during the Connacht final victory over Mayo at the beginning of May.

The All-Ireland series opener against Derry was his first start of the championship. He’s climbed and climbed since.  In the second half of the preliminary quarter-final win over Monaghan, his go-forward drive was central to the home outfit pulling clear of Vinny Corey’s charges.

The 25-year-old produced a lovely sidestep and point on 52 minutes, a combination not typically associated with Maher. Shortly after he sent Liam Silke through a gap, the defender immediately fouled for a converted free. And there was a Gleeson restart pulled down three minutes from the end of regulation time.

But to fully appreciate Maher’s current form, one needs to look at where he started. Where he’s come from. And he has come a distance.

Midfield on the Galway minor team that lost the 2016 All-Ireland final to Kerry. Made his senior debut against Sligo in the 2018 FBD League. Also featured against Leitrim that same month.

That was his lot until handed his league debut, at midfield, when Mayo travelled to Tuam Stadium for the restarted National League in October of 2020. It was a competitive debut that could have made his a very short inter-county career. 

He fouled Aidan O’Shea straight from the throw-in. His opposite number, Conor Loftus, kicked the visitors’ opening point and then fetched the ensuing restart. Maher didn’t get his hands on the ball until the eighth minute.

He’d later foul Loftus and see Mathew Ruane claim a Mayo kick-out directly over his head. White flags came off both plays. Maher did not reappear for the second-half.

Gary O’Donnell was introduced for the hosts after 10 minutes at Tuam Stadium. While possessing the potential to break his then younger colleague, the deeply chastening experience, said O’Donnell, ended up being incredibly formative.   

“John came in and was quite young at that stage, and to experience what he experienced that time, and get a walloping like he did that day and to be taken off as early as he was, definitely could go one of two ways for him,” remarked the retired Galway footballer.  

“He could have thrown the towel in, and he did take a break and has come back in again. Probably matured as a player, as well, and has proven to be a very big player for Salthill-Knocknacarra in the last few years.

“He’s been superb for Galway this year in all of the games. So reliable, so dependable, pops up everywhere, so energetic. Can do a man-marking job, can contribute on the scoreboard, competes out in the middle of the field. He's been a huge, huge plus for Galway.” 

Those unkind 35 minutes were his sole involvement in 2020. He was not part of the panel for the subsequent two seasons. He was travelling in the US for the county’s run to the 2022 decider.

In 2023, he rejoined the fold. The late John O’Mahony, his then club manager at Salthill-Knocknacarra, helped to reignite his flame.

For his championship debut last summer, he was given the brief of man-marking Roscommon's Enda Smith. The role sound familiar? As with Fenton, he did his job in curtailing a key chess piece of the opposition and still found time to kick two points.

“It keeps it simple. Run around and follow him,” he told Off The Ball post-match of the brief he was given at Dr Hyde Park. 

“This is the year I wanted to put the foot down and commit. From watching from afar last year, I wanted to get involved and see what I could do to help.” 

He’s kept the foot down in 2024.

“Galway have had many a good player over the years, maybe haven’t pushed on, it mightn’t be for them,” O'Donnell continued.

“It’s been alluded to that maybe players have stepped away from the panel the last few years, people have gone travelling, etc. It’s a very, very demanding position to be in to play inter-county football and it isn’t for everyone, so for John to be able to deal with that minor setback that he had that time and to come back and play as well as he has this year is testament to him.” 

A Michael Langan man-marking job on Sunday? Maybe Ciarán Thompson? He’ll not be fazed by running around and following either.