Mikey Maher

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Mikey Maher
Personal information
Sport Hurling
Full name Michael Maher
Place of birth Tubberadora , County Tipperary
Nickname(s) Big Mikey
Club information
Club Tubberadora
Position Centre forward
Inter-County
County Tipperary
Position Centre forward
Inter-County(ies)**
County Years Apps (scores)
Tipperary 1890s
Senior Inter-County Titles
Munster Titles 5
All-Ireland 5

* club appearances and scores
correct as of .
**Inter County team apps and scores correct
as of .

Mikey Maher (1880-1947) was a famous Irish sportsperson who played hurling with Tubberadora and Tipperary in the 1890s. He is one of only three players to captain a team to three All-Ireland successes.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Mikey Maher was born in Tubberadora, County Tipperary in 1870. He grew up on the family farm and was the second eldest in a family of four boys, all of whom had a great interest in the game of hurling. Maher’s older brother, Jack, won two All-Ireland medals in the 1890s. Two of Maher’s nephews, Sonny Maher and Michael Maher, won All-Ireland medals with Tipperary in the 1950s and 1960s.

[edit] Playing career

[edit] Club

Maher played his club hurling with the Tubberadora club near Boherlahen. He won county championship titles with the club in 1895, 1896 and 1898.

[edit] Inter-county

Maher first played hurling for Tipperary in 1895 when his club, Tubberadora, represented the county in the Munster Championship. That year he won his first Munster title following a huge victory over Limerick. Maher later captained Tipp to an All-Ireland victory over Kilkenny. In 1896 Maher was captain again when he won his second provincial medal. This was later converted into a second All-Ireland medal following an emphatic victory over Dublin.

Two years later in 1898 Maher won a third Munster Championship title. In the All-Ireland final against Kilkenny, Maher scored three goals in the second-half to clinch his third All-Ireland medal. In doing so he became the first player to captain a team to three All-Ireland victories. This record was later equalled by Dick 'Drug' Walsh of Kilkenny and Christy Ring of Cork. A fourth Munster title was claimed by Maher in 1899, before he later won his fourth All-Ireland medal following another huge victory over Wexford. In 1900 Tipp completed the three in-a-row with Maher winning his fifth Munster and All-Ireland medals in the process.

[edit] Retirement

Maher retired from hurling shortly after he won his fifth All-Ireland medal. In 1918 he moved to a farm in Galbally, County Limerick where he spent the rest of his life.

Mikey Maher died in 1947.


Preceded by
Stephen Hayes
(Cork)
All-Ireland Hurling Final
winning captain

1895
Succeeded by
retained
Preceded by
incumbent
All-Ireland Hurling Final
winning captain

1896
Succeeded by
Denis Grimes
(Limerick)
Preceded by
Denis Grimes
(Limerick)
All-Ireland Hurling Final
winning captain

1898
Succeeded by
Tom Condon
(Tipperary)

[edit] References

  • Brendan Fullam, Captains of the Ash, (Wolfhound Press, 2004).