Brendan Maher happy to team up and join the fight against cancer
Former Tipperary hurler Brendan Maher, representing Davy Russell's Best, during the Hurling for Cancer Research 2025 charity match between Jim Bolger's Stars and Davy Russell's Best at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
By Paul Keane
Darragh McCarthy was still signing autographs and posing for pictures whilst Brendan Maher made his way off the pitch in Carlow on Monday, an hour after full-time.
For one evening only, the Tipperary men were team-mates, wearing the red of Davy Russell's Best in the Hurling for Cancer Research charity game at Netwatch Cullen Park.
They lost out to Jim Bolger's Stars in the end but, truth be told, the scoreline didn't matter a whole pile as the very best in the game, and plenty from outside the game, united in the fight against a common enemy.
"I think everyone has family members that have been touched by it," said Maher of the disease. "I've lost a few unfortunately over the years. To be involved in something like this is special, it's a special occasion and it's great that we can use the game of hurling for good like this."
Getting to line out alongside McCarthy, one of the rising stars of Tipp's latest All-Ireland triumph with 1-13 in the final defeat of Cork, must have been enjoyable?
"He's an exciting talent," nodded Maher, who captained Tipp to MacCarthy Cup success in 2016, one of his three titles. "He's a great young lad and his attitude is what makes him so special. Hopefully he has a long period ahead of him in the blue and gold."
Former Galway hurler Joe Canning, left, and Limerick hurler Darragh O’Donovan, both representing Jim Bolger's Stars, before the Hurling for Cancer Research 2025 charity match. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
There are no guarantees though, for player or county, and you don't need to remind Maher about that.
He was part of the Tipp team that won the All-Ireland in 2019 but they hadn't made it back to Croke Park by the time he retired two years later and it wasn't until this summer that they finally franked their ticket back to the Jones Road venue.
It's a venue that clearly energises Tipp teams because when they get there, they typically deliver, dismantling both Kilkenny and Cork this season.
"It probably was something that we would have referenced, that we felt that once we got up to Croke Park that we had a new lease of life and that it did give us a bit of fresh energy," said Maher. "You were getting up to the big stage and you felt like you were getting towards the business end of the Championship.
"Yeah, I think the experienced lads especially this year would have felt that, 'Once we get back up there, we'll be comfortable'. I think the younger lads would have fed off that. Obviously it was six years waiting, that's a long time, but I do think that experience that the boys would have had helped a lot of the newer, younger lads."
Maher also got to play alongside former Tipp colleague Noel McGrath on Monday evening. McGrath is still going strong in the blue and gold and, should he continue his career into 2026, will be keen to avoid the sort of slippage that the county experienced after the 2019 All-Ireland win.
Brendan Maher with the Liam MacCarthy Cup following Tipperary's 2019 All-Ireland final win. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Surely they won't want to wait another six years to get back to Croke Park?
"Absolutely, but there's no guarantees," said Borris-Ileigh man Maher. "That's the beauty of the Munster championship. The All-Ireland win was this year, yeah, but next year is going to be a case of start all over again. Nothing is deserved or guaranteed and you have some great teams all around Munster.
"It's hard to see anything beyond trying to get a couple of wins in Munster and trying to get out of Munster. You saw what happened to Clare this year - it's going to be just as difficult for Tipp next year. You have a tough task playing Cork in the first round with the way the fixtures are. So I think the goal is just to get out of Munster whatever way you can and then hopefully have a crack at the All-Ireland again."
It wasn't just the Tipp players that Maher was happy to meet up with in Carlow. He has been a selector with Offaly for a number of seasons and has formed a close bond with the Faithful County's talented young team. Maher confirmed that he will continue in his role for 2026.
"I'll still be involved, that'll be my fourth year with them," he said. "They're a great bunch of players, some of them were playing in the Hurling for Cancer Research game as well. You would have seen Adam Screeney, Brian Duignan, Dan Bourke was on the line, he didn't come on because he's nursing a bit of an injury, and Liam Hoare went into goals. They're a great bunch and we've had a fair journey with them, trying to get up that ladder. We're in Division 1 of the League and the MacCarthy Cup again next year so hopefully they'll improve again."
