Tipp Captain Ronan Maher Named Man of the Match in All-Ireland Final
Ronan Maher, the captain of Tipperary, has been honored as the man of the match following today’s All-Ireland senior hurling final. His leadership played a crucial role in guiding the Premier county to victory against Cork, securing the Liam MacCarthy Cup with a stunning second-half performance.
Tipp emerged victorious with a score of 3-27 to 1-18, outscoring the Rebels 3-14 to 0-2 in the latter half. This remarkable display of skill and determination showcased the team’s resilience and strategic prowess. Maher was awarded the prestigious honor, which was announced on The Sunday Game and presented by GAA President Jarlath Burns at the team banquet held at the Grand Hotel in Malahide.
Expressing his emotions after the win, Maher shared his thoughts with RTÉ’s Joanne Cantwell. “Ah sure listen, it’s absolutely unbelievable,” he said. “It’s what we all dream about, coming up to Croke Park and putting in a performance.”
Maher highlighted the calmness of the team during the match. “Someone asked me earlier on what we did at half time, but I think the group, as a collective, were really, really calm. We knew what we had to do in the second half.”
He also expressed his gratitude for being the captain of such a strong team. “Listen, it’s an honour for me to captain this group of people, the players, the management, the backroom team, I’m the lucky one standing up here.”
Maher acknowledged the effort of every member of the team. “Everyone put in a savage shift today, even the lads that didn’t get onto the field today, everybody was just tremendous throughout the year. It’s just a good, honest group of people here, and I couldn’t be happier or prouder standing in front of them.”
For Maher, this victory holds personal significance. He will now join an esteemed list of Thurles Sarsfields’ All-Ireland winning Tipperary captains on the club’s wall of fame. “It’s a dream come true really. Liam Cahill spoke to me at the start of the year and I was absolutely privileged to get the job again, I didn’t think I would. I have him to thank for that.”
Maher revealed that he had a picture of the wall set as his screensaver for the last few years. “It’s something that I’ve been looking forward to, getting up there. It’s unbelievable. I couldn’t be prouder as a Thurles Sarsfields man and a Tipperary man to be going up on the wall, but I couldn’t do it without these lads down here.”
His defensive efforts, particularly in containing Cork star forward Brian Hayes, were praised by The Sunday Game pundit and former Tipp star Brendan Cummins, who hailed Maher as a “colossus.” Despite the recognition, Maher remained humble. “There was a lot of them to block out, I suppose. Everybody was tremendous today. Like I said, we came out after half time and put in a big shift. Credit to every man that got onto the field there today, it was unbelievable.”
Maher concluded by expressing his pride in representing Tipperary. “I’d like to think that we put so much pride back into the Tipperary jersey, for the supporters, and for everybody in this room, it means so much to everybody. We’re just absolutely thrilled to have Liam MacCarthy here tonight.”
This victory marks another milestone in Maher’s career, cementing his place among the legends of the sport. The team’s success is a testament to their hard work, unity, and unwavering dedication to the game.
