James Maher (hurler)

James Maher (born 14 July 1995) is an Irish hurler who plays for Kilkenny Intermediate Championship club St. Lachtain's and at inter-county level with the Kilkenny senior hurling team. He usually lines out as a midfielder.

James Maher
Personal information
Irish name Séamus Ó Meachair
Sport Hurling
Position Midfield
Born (1995-07-14) 14 July 1995
Freshford, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Occupation Student
Club(s)
Years Club
 St. Lachtain's
Club titles
Limerick titles 0
Colleges(s)
Years College
2014-2018
 University College Dublin
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles 0
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2016–present
 Kilkenny 10 (0-10)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 0
All-Irelands 0
NHL 1
All Stars 0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 11:44, 14 December 2019.

Playing career

St. Kieran's College

Maher first came to prominence as a hurler with St. Kieran's College and played in every grade of hurling before eventually joining the college's senior hurling team. On 3 March 2012, he was introduced as a substitute when St. Kieran's College defeated local rivals Kilkenny CBS by 2-09 to 1-10 to win the Leinster Championship.

On 3 March 2013, Maher lined out at centre-back when St. Kieran's College faced Kilkenny CBS in a second successive Leinster final. He ended the game on the losing side following a 2-09 to 1-07 defeat.[1]

Maher was appointed captain of the St. Kieran's College senior team for the 2013-14 season. On 9 March 2014, he lined out at centre-back when St. Kieran's College suffered a 2-13 to 0-13 defeat by Kilkenny CBS in the Leinster final.[2] Maher was switched to midfield when he captained the team to an All-Ireland final meeting with Kilkenny CBS on 5 April 2014. He ended the game with a winners' medal following a 2-16 to 0-13 victory.[3]

University College Dublin

As a student at University College Dublin, Maher joined the senior hurling team during his second year at the university. He was a regular player for the senior hurling team during several Fitzgibbon Cup campaigns.[4]

St. Lachtain's

Maher joined the St, Lachtain's club at a young age and played in all grades at juvenile and underage levels. He enjoyed championship success in the under-21 grade before eventually joining the club's top adult team in the Kilkenny Intermediate Championship.

Kilkenny

Minor and under-21

Maher first played for Kilkenny as a member of the minor team during the 2011 Leinster Championship. On 3 July 2011, he scored 1-01 from play after coming on as 38th-minute substitute for Conor Martin in Kilkenny's 1-14 to 1-11 defeat by Dublin in the Leinster final.[5]

Maher was again eligible for the minor grade for a third and final season in 2013. On 7 July 2013, he won a Leinster Championship medal after lining out at right wing-back in Kilkenny's 1-18 to 0-08 defeat of Laois in the final.[6]

On 2 June 2015, Maher made his first appearance for the Kilkenny under-21 team when he scored 1-01 from play in a 4-12 to 2-16 defeat of Dublin.[7] On 8 July 2015, he was introduced as a substitute after starting the game on the bench in Kilkenny's 4-17 to 1-09 defeat by Wexford in the Leinster final.[8]

Intermediate

Maher was just 17-years-old when he was added to the Kilkenny intermediate team for the 2012 Leinster Championship. He was an unused substitute on 28 June 2012 but collected a Leinster Championship medal in a 3-20 to 2-14 defeat of Wexford in the final.[9] Maher was again named on the substitutes' bench for the All-Ireland final against Tipperary on 1 September 2012, however, he ended on the losing side following a 3-13 to 1-17 defeat.[10]

Senior

Maher was added to the Kilkenny senior team in advance of the 2016 National League. He made his first appearance for the team on 14 February 2016 when he was introduced as a 48th-minute substitute for Mark Kelly at left corner-forward in a 0-14 to 0-10 defeat by Waterford.[11] On 3 July 2016, Maher won a Leinster Championship medal as a member of the extended panel following Kilkenny's 1-26 to 0-22 defeat of Galway in the final.[12] He was again a member of the extended panel when Kilkennyb suffered a 2-29 to 2-20 defeat by Tipperary in the All-Ireland final on 4 September 2016.[13]

On 8 April 2018, Maher lined out at midfield when Kilkenny defeated Tipperary by 2-23 to 2-17 to win the National League title.[14] He was again selected at midfield when Kilkenny faced Galway in the Leinster final on 1 July 2018. Maher scored a point from play in the 0-18 apiece draw.[15] He retained his position for the replay a week later, however, Kilkenny suffered a 1-28 to 3-15 defeat.[16]

Maher was selected at midfield on 30 June 2019 when Kilkenny faced Wexford in the Leinster final. He scored a point from play but ended the game on the losing side following a 1-23 to 0-23 defeat.[17] On 18 August 2019, Maher was listed amongst the substitutes when Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland final. He remained on the bench for the 3-25 to 0-20 defeat.[18]

Personal life

Maher was born in Freshford, County Kilkenny. His mother, Jillian Dillon-Maher, played camogie with the Kilkenny senior team and won All-Ireland medals in 1990, 1991 and 1994.[19] Maher's grandfather, Pa Dillon, won three All-Ireland medals with the Kilkenny senior hurling team between 1967 and 1972.[20]

Career statistics
As of match played 18 August 2019.
Team Year National League Leinster All-Ireland Total
DivisionAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScoreAppsScore
Kilkenny 2016 Division 1A 50-0600-0000-0050-06
2017 30-0000-0000-0030-00
2018 80-0750-0510-03140-15
2019 60-0420-0120-01100-06
Total 220-1770-0630-04320-27

Honours
St. Kieran's College
St. Lachtain's
  • Kilkenny Under-21 Hurling Championship (1): 2012
Kilkenny
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References
  1. "Cuddihy and Cahill points secure title for Kilkenny CBS". Irish Independent. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  2. Cormican, Eoghan (10 March 2014). "Byrne the hero as CBS grab the glory". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  3. Spillane, Trevor (5 April 2014). "19th All-Ireland for St. Kieran's after win over Kilkenny CBS". The 42. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  4. Hurley, Denis (29 January 2016). "Goals do the trick for UCD in Fitzgibbon Cup". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
  5. "Martin on song to down Laois". Irish Independent. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  6. "Murphy points the way as Kilkenny cruise past Laois to claim crown". Irish Independent. 8 July 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  7. O'Toole, Fintan (2 June 2015). "Late goal gives Kilkenny dramatic win over Dublin in Leinster U21 hurling thriller". The 42. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  8. "Leinster U21 HC final: Magical Model maul Cats for three-in-a-row". Hogan Stand. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  9. "Leinster IHC: Cats in control". Hogan Stand. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  10. "Heffernan helps Tipp restore some pride". Irish Independent. 2 September 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  11. Keyes, Dermot (14 February 2016). "Waterford show greater appetite in win over Cats". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  12. McGoldrick, Seán (3 July 2016). "Galway challenge peters out as Kilkenny claim 71st Leinster crown in familiar style". Irish Independent. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  13. Keane, Paul (5 September 2016). "Tipperary blow Cats away to take All-Ireland title". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  14. McGoldrick, Seán (8 April 2018). "Kilkenny whirlwind blows Tipperary away as Brian Cody claims ninth league title". Irish Independent. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  15. "Leinster SHC final: Cats and Tribe must meet again". Hogan Stand. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  16. Rooney, Declan (8 July 2018). "Galway retain Leinster crown after epic battle with Kilkenny". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  17. O'Brien, Kevin (30 June 2019). "Wexford land first Leinster title in 15 years with thrilling victory over Kilkenny". The 42. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  18. McGoldrick, Seán (18 August 2019). "Tipperary are All-Ireland champions as Liam Sheedy's men see off 14-man Kilkenny in Croke Park". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  19. "Supermum aims to turn underdogs into top Cats". Irish Independent. 15 September 2001. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
  20. Crowe, Dermot (6 March 2016). "Kilkenny conveyor belt still churning out talent". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 December 2018.
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