AIB GAA Club Championship: Brendan Maher would give up his county success for one club title

Time on Maher side's in quest for AIB GAA Club Championship glory

If you're a 10- year veteran of senior club action in Tipperary that would normally place you in the mid to late 30's age bracket, but Brendan Maher of Borris-Ileigh has just celebrated his 26th birthday. The captain of the senior side made his debut as a 16-year-old in a North Tipperary county final and he remembers the day well. Unfortunately for the teacher he is yet to taste any further success with his club since making his debut as a hurling libero.

'I suppose I was probably the same height I was now. I kinda grew very quickly in my teenage years.  I was almost six foot but I was very light. I was lucky that I had a management that didn't want me to play in just one position. I just had to stay out of danger-and that was the role I played  for a few years. They protected me until I was old enough and up to the physical aspect of things to be able to mix it at senior level. 'I got a fair baptism of fire that first day. It was a big game to be starting  but lucky enough we won that day. I thought at the age of 16 that winning a North final that I was looking at a few years of great success, but unfortunately it hasn't it turned out that way.'

Maher is someone who has enjoyed success with almost every side he has ever lined out for except his local club. He claimed an All-Ireland minor medal at 16 while a year later he captained the county to a Munster and All-Ireland final double over Cork. He was a part of a devastating Tipperary U21 side in the the late 2000's while he is now the current Tipperary senior captain. However despite all his glory the lack of a county senior title gnaws away at him:

'It's number one ambition for me to win a county title with Borris-Ileigh. I've always said and I stand by it. I'd take a medal with my club ahead of county. That's no disrespect to Tipperary but at the end of the day you talk about grassroots and where you started and Borris-Ileigh is number one in my list and it always will be. I'm a Borris man through and thorough and it would mean the world to me to win something with Borris-Ileigh.'

Maher's family are steeped in his local club and his debut at 16 meant that he got the chance to feature alongside three of his older brothers as well as two of his cousins. Maher admits that despite the success at local level playing with family has made some of the disappointment much more bearable.

'My older brother Sean is twelve years older than me so to get to play with him was one of the big things in our family. The four of us got to play together and I was playing with cousins that would have grown up with us and it was something I really enjoyed. We've had our first two retirements this year and there could be another,so I might be the last one left playing.'

The loss of the elder Maher's as well as a number of other players has left the Boris squad with an especially youthful look for 2015. Despite his age profile its natural that Maher,with his inter county success and pedigree, will be seen as the totem pole for the rest of the club. He feels that he can bring some of his own experience to bear in trying to help younger players adapt to the pace of life at senior in Tipperary.

'I remember going into the dressing room for my first training session and you're just in awe of the older lads in there. You grew up watching them and its a daunting experience and I'm trying my best to make the lads feel welcome  and encourage them as much as you can. 'Everyone tries to do their best and the last thing you need starting out is someone telling you what you've done wrong. Everyone knows when they've made a mistake and its about giving them a solution to that.'

The Tipperary county senior hurling championship is probably among the most fierce in Ireland. The convoluted structure can often result in headaches to those unfamiliar with its systems of group games and divisional implications. There are 14 senior sides alone in the North Tipperary division in which Borris-Ileigh compete and this year in the group stage they face Burgess, Kilruane and Drom-Inch.  With that level of competition Borris have struggled to get to the holy grail of a county final with their closest near miss coming in 2013 when they lost to eventual champions Loughmore. Maher feels that the years of constant disappointment have taken their toll mentally on the players:

'We haven't won a North title since 2007 which has been disappointing. In 2013 we were in the county semi and were beaten by Loughmore who went on to win it  We've had reasonable good years but unfortunately we haven't brought back some silverware which is at the end of the day is all your remembered for. 'We've struggled because we've had so many disappointments over the years and the belief has dropped and the self belief within players is probably a bit questionable= at the moment as well. What we're trying to do now is build up the confidence of everyone and try and get a few wins and see where that takes us.'

Borris-Ileigh are one of just a handful of Tipperary clubs who have claimed Munster and All-Ireland glory. The club's success came in 1986/87 season with those days now a distant memory for many. Maher believes that the club and its current players must emerge from under the shadow of former glory

'It was proud day for the club. Not too many can they have won an All-Ireland. They will always be highly regarded in the club and rightly so but I suppose its up to us to create our own bit of history. It would be a shame for us for us to pass through our hurling careers without some success to show for it you know.'

For the moment Maher's focus is on getting Borris to a county final and giving everyone in the club a chance to write their own piece of history.Their loss to Loughmore in 2013 was their first appearance in the last four of the county championship for 25 years. For a player who has played on the biggest stage and won almost everything he feels there is no excitement like what he experienced even in a club semi final from two years ago,

'The buzz around the village was massive. It gave you a real sense of 'we'd love to have this every year'. lt was disappointing then to not follow on last year and build on it. So this year its up to us to get the bandwagon going again. It might not happen this year,it might not happen next year but if we get the right structures and commitment then hopefully there is success in the future.'

If you want to see Ballyhale Shamrocks take on Kilmallock in the AIB GAA All Ireland Club Championship final at Croke Park on March 17th, tickets are available here