Camogie legend Maher hangs up the boots

Galway’s All-Ireland winning camogie centre back and one of the greatest players of all time, Therese Maher, has announced her retirement after 17 years in the maroon and white.

The five-time All-Star, who finally got her hands on a senior medal last September, informed manager Tony Ward on Monday night before the rest of the senior panel learned the news on Tuesday.

Known by her peers as ‘The Queen’, Maher was arbuably the most talented players to represent the Tribeswomen and her own journey to reach the winner’s enclosure in Croke Park proved just as epic a tale as Galway’s long wait.

Indeed, her sisters Dymphna and Gretta lined out in the 1996 win and 15-year-old Therese joined the senior set-up the following autumn. A two time minor All-Ireland winner, Maher played in the 1997 and 1998 finals but had to wait another 10 years to experience camogie’s biggest day again.

Maher’s debut in a senior jersey was as sign of things to come when she came off the bench against Kilkenny in the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final and scored 1-1.

Despite Galway being in the wilderness, Maher’s qualities and skills were acknowledge and she captained the Irish international team during the camogie centenary in 2004 against Scotland. And three years earlier, she featured on the BBC’s Blue Peter programme when they dedicated a programme to camogie.

She captained Galway at adult level with distinction on numerous occasions, leading the Westerners to victory in the 2005 National League and also to the 2010 All-Ireland final.  2005 was her first All-Star and she picked up more in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013.

Full tribute in this week’s Connacht Tribune