Kilkenny man Maher is now a Cavan hurling true blue

Interview

Kevin Óg Carney

“I wasn’t so sure at the time what he was doing! I looked at (selector) Tomás (Mannion) and the two of us were rolling our eyes wondering what Canice was up to; thought it was strange the way he was shaping up to the ball and the Longford defenders seemed to be as surprised as we were that he went for goal but we’re delighted he did.”

By the time the 2023 review of Cavan’s hurling year is penned, Cavan manager Ollie Bellew's recollection of Canice Maher’s 24-metre free that propelled the county’s flagship hurling team to a shock 1-13 to 0-14 win last month over NHL Division 3B rivals Longford is likely to have grown legs. By this Christmas, Maher's exocet will have been struck from 26 metres and instead of three midlanders holding fort on the goal-line, there’ll have been four. Such is the narrative when the winning camp collectively recall how the war was won.

But when a management duo comprising of a well-decorated Antrim coach (Bellew) and a former Galway star (Mannion) turned trainer marvel at a goal, then it’s hardly surprising that all others in attendance that day in Longford were left purring at Maher’s magic.

When the 40-yards man twickered his free through Longford’s last line of defence like a surgeon’s scalpel, it left the hosts as ornery as they’ve ever been on the field of play against a Cavan hurling team. GAA anoraks scurried to discover the last time the royal blue and whites had trumped the royal blue and gold.

Scribes do their best to sift for details at hurling’s basement but all too often quickly come to realise what they already knew beforehand - that it’s a fool’s errand.

But Bellew’s post-match interview in Longford left the dreams of local journalists running riot. Maher’s quicksilver thinking, electrifying co-ordination and magical wrist action was manna from Heaven and no better man than Bellew to uncap the Maher well so as to deliver the rich resource that yields refreshing copy for hacks.

Over the past two years, Muckalee man Maher just keeps on delivering for his adopted county. He provides good copy.

Maher’s style of play is inspirational, direct and efficient. He doesn’t do mucking about. His modus operandi sees him get on the ball, turn and shoot; leaning heavily on the over-the-shoulder effort and, invariably, leaving a trail of destruction behind him.

The Kilkenny native’s handy work to date has done much to add to the sheen of respectability that has illuminated Cavan Hurling Inc. He’s getting Cavan noticed. And himself. After notching 1-8 in Longford, he was afforded a place by Croke Park on their hurling Team of the Week.

The 31-year old East Cavan Gaels hurler has come to Breifne via the B-roads having spent time teaching in Raheny, Dublin for some years and thereafter living in Kells. He has been teaching at St Kilian’s NS in Mullagh for the past two years and last year married Bailieboro-born lass Lyndsey (nee Maguire). The pair are currently building a house at Bracklin (between Bailieboro and Kingscourt).

With his work-life balance in order, the county star had most boxes ticked when a ‘good walk spoiled’ in May 2021 at Mannan Castle Golf Club saw him get close enough to overhear a couple of Louthmen in front of him on the course shooting the breeze.

“They were talking about Louth’s upcoming Lory Meagher Cup semi-final against Cavan and, by their conversation, I took it that they were two (Louth) players and they really came across as being very cocky about the game. I remember hearing the result of the match afterwards and saying to myself ‘fair play to Cavan’.

Subsequently – in the days before Maher tied the knot - East Cavan Gaels club stalwart Kathryn O’Flynn came calling after hearing on the grapevine that a former Kilkenny minor hurler was teaching in Mullagh (within ECG’s catchment area).

“I got a text from Kathryn, inviting me to join up with the lads at ECG and I had no hesitation in saying sure. Our new house is only about five minutes away from Bailieboro (ECG’s headquarters) and, from a social point of view and a hurling point of view, it made sense.”

During his time teaching in Dublin, the now Cavan star was part of the Metropolitans’ senior hurling squad, under Cork native Ger Cunningham. “I was playing with St Judes at the time and it was nice to pick up that bit of experience with Dublin, training with them for a couple of rounds of league games.”

Having watched from afar in 2020 when Cavan made it to Croke Park for the Lory Meagher Cup final, Maher is mad to play with Cavan at the GAA’s marquee venue this year.

He bemoans the fact that things didn’t go to plan last year (in his debut year for Cavan) under team-manager Neil Cole but he feels that the indignity of not having won a single competitive game last year has been well and truly banished by the NHL wins to date over Longford and Warwickshire.

“I think everyone started off this year determined to improve on last year and get back to Croke Park and so far things are going to plan and the county board are right behind us,” says the son of Anthony Maher (a Kilkenny SHC winner with St Martin’s) whose dual career down in the sunny south east saw him collect five SFC gongs with his native club St Martin’s after earlier picking up a Kilkenny MHC medal when he was just 14.

Despite his short innings so far, Maher has already become ECG’s console and Cavan’s pivot but should we be surprised?

After all, as a corner-forward, he collected Leinster and All-Ireland MHC medals with Kilkenny in 2008. His experience and proven track record allied to the bullish noises that have accompanied the latest Kilkenny arrival (Nick Kenny) to the Cavan camp seems to sign-post further good days for Cavan.

“He’s going to be a great addition to the team,” Maher says of Piltown native and former Cuala All-Ireland club medallist Kenny.

“But it’s not about any one player or even two or three, there are a lot of lads in the county squad who wouldn’t be out of place on the Kilkenny club scene and they’re playing great stuff this year.

“There’s a great appetite for success among the players and the team management and the strength and conditioning work we’ve been doing is gonna make sure that we’ll keep going to the last to get ourselves over the line.”