Sars trust in legend Maher is rewarded

By Shane Brophy

If right was right, Padraic Maher would have been playing in last Sunday’s County Senior Hurling Final.

However, injury brought an abrupt end to his playing career in early 2022 and within months, the Thurles Sarsfields club entrusted him with the management of the senior hurlers, and the Tipperary hurling icon has added another chapter to his legacy by bringing the Dan Breen Cup back to the club.

“It has taken me four years and there would be lads wondering why I am doing this for four years or how am I getting the chance but the club have stood by me from day one,” he said.

“Losing to Kiladangan by a point in the replay, the following year we lost by two to Loughmore in a semi-final and last year we didn’t get out of the group but the club said, we want you to steer this again for next year. They really supported me.

“And the players as well have been tremendous for me, probably got sick of me at times but their effort or anything we asked of them, they did not go away from it as is why Conor got up the steps today.”

So how does it feel as a player who won seven county championships as a player, four as captain, to now guiding them to a long overdue 37th success.

“When you are playing it is amazing but to be honest it is the same feeling as a manager to do it for my own club as we all want the club to do well,” he said.

“I am delighted for the players as the performances they have been giving consistently all year around their attitude and application to each match and they did it again today.

“There are lads after winning their eighth and ninth medals but a lot of them have only won their first so I am thrilled they can all put their name on the roll of honour.”

Moycarkey/Borris’ call to arms is to “squeeze up” but the only squeezing done in the final was from Thurles Sarsfields who never gave their opponents to generate momentum with this success built on work-rate rather than flair which would always have been Sars tradition.

“It wasn’t the most glamorous game of hurling but we don’t care,” added the winning manager.

“We said if it would take a dogfight, we’d be ready for a dogfight. That is great because sometimes people might question if we have that in the club but this is the way we have been playing all year, in the tight venues, we dug deep and dictated the terms of engagement in games, and today they chased anything that moved and got their rewards as the ball spilled for them, getting a hook or block.”

“David Costigan was running amok in games. The way he has been playing this year is he might not be doing anything in games but the next thing he wins the game in five minutes. The boys had to be so switched on.

“He is going to be a fantastic player and could be playing in a Tipp jersey in a couple of months time. He is a great athlete, works extremely hard and he was one player we had to nail today as well as a couple of others throughout the field.

“As a unit, we really defended really well, we got the bodies back and got the turnovers. In the second half especially, coming out with the ball after doing that was a lot better as we played a lot of ball to their free men in the first half.”

Maher paid particular tribute to man of the match Eoin Purcell for his man of the match performance in scoring 1-4 from play.

“Eoin is living in Dublin and working in a demanding job but doesn’t miss a Tuesday training session,” Maher revealed.

“The effort he is putting in, I am delighted he got his reward today with that performance. Eoin can be hard on himself at times and after the Nenagh game he was hard on himself but he is so capable of bouncing back. I am thrilled for him as he is so dedicated to the whole thing and delighted all the sacrifices have made it worthwhile.”

Once the next few days are enjoyed, Thurles Sarsfield will have a chance to refresh and refocus ahead of the Munster club championship campaign, and a semi-final on November 15th against the winners of the quarter final between the Cork champions (Glen Rovers or St Finbarr’s) and Clare’s new winners Inagh-Kilnamona.

“Some of the biggest regrets in my hurling career were Munster club championship matches and losing games by one or two points here and there,” Maher added.

“The club have only gotten over the line once in this competition we are facing into so we’ll get the boys back down to brass tacts after a bit of a break and go hammer and tongs at it as you have to as you are playing the best of everywhere else and have to be on the top of your game.”