In the wake of Tipperary’s stirring return to the summit of hurling, team captain Ronan Maher has given us an insight into the leadership journey that took him and his group from the depths of disappointment a year ago to the steps of the Hogan Stand, three weeks ago.
Speaking to Sport for Business in the less familiar surrounds of the Aviva Stadium last week, Maher laid bare the processes, the pain, and ultimately the pride that shaped his second year wearing the captain’s armband, a role he retained despite the turbulent 2024 season.
“Liam asked me if I was willing to do it again, and I said I was. I felt ready physically and mentally, and I wanted to lead the team out again,” Maher revealed. “He shook my hand and said, ‘You’ll be lifting silverware this year.’ That stuck with me.”
Leadership Built on Process and Perspective
Central to Maher’s captaincy is a personal and meticulously built mental routine. A believer in the power of visualisation, he has long used clips of previous standout performances, his own and others’, as a foundation for mental preparation. That commitment didn’t waver, even in the leaner times.
“It’s a process I stick to regardless. If it doesn’t work, I jot down the mistakes, learn from them, and go again,” he said. “I’ve done the same thing for nine or ten years, so why change now?”
That discipline is supported by the team’s mindset coach, Cathal Sheridan, whose influence on the Tipp camp has extended beyond match tactics to confidence, reflection, and emotional awareness.
“He challenges us in the right way and reminds us of the work we’ve done and why we belong out there. He’s been class for us, especially in helping me grow as a leader,” said Maher.
A Captain Tested and Trusted
In a county where public passion sometimes spills into public criticism, Maher carried the weight of expectation during tough times.
He acknowledged the “mocking on the street” and pointed to the broader sense of collective frustration felt during last year’s early exit. But rather than buckle, he turned inward, and back to his team.
“Last year, we were already talking about what had to change in the dressing room in Semple Stadium, just after we lost. That’s how honest this group is,” he said. “We became even tighter, and I think that closeness drove us this year.”
When Cahill reaffirmed his faith in McGrath’s leadership, it lit a fire.
“That moment gave me belief. It meant a lot. I didn’t know what way it would go, but to be trusted again, it was emotional. Walking up the Hogan Stand, lifting the Liam, representing these lads after everything we’d been through… that’s something I’ll never forget.”
Rising Together
The captain is quick to deflect credit, though, instead highlighting the hunger and progress of teammates like Andrew Ormond, Robert Doyle, and Craig Morgan, who “each brought it up another percentage.” That competitiveness was evident throughout the winter, with performances in training earning opportunities on match day.
“There was no coasting. If you were training well, you were in,” he said. “It kept everyone honest and hungry.”
The final itself showed the team’s mental steel. Six points down at half-time against Cork, Maher said there was no panic, no deviation from the plan.
“We said if we were within four or five points at half-time, we were where we wanted to be. It was the calmest dressing room of the year. We pushed on, stuck to our plan, and it came to life.”
A Personal Milestone, A Community Moment
While lifting the Liam MacCarthy was the visible highlight, a quieter but no less powerful personal moment came later—on the club’s now-famous captain’s wall in Thurles Sarsfields.
“I had it as my phone screensaver for two years—just the wall, with a blank spot and an arrow pointing to it. It was something I visualised from the start, to be up there alongside the legends,” he shared. “To see it happen, with my family there, it was a dream come true.”
What Comes Next?
Maher insists that the group won’t dwell too long on the celebrations, already aware of the challenge of backing it up, especially in Munster. But for now, there’s room for reflection, and for gratitude.
“This group is one of the tightest I’ve been part of. The leadership in it runs deep, and it’s driven by honesty, from the players and from the likes of Liam Cahill and Mikey Bevans. That’s our foundation,” he said.
“To be part of it, to lead it, and to lift that cup with them, it’s what I dreamed of.”
Ronan Maher was speaking with us as part of the launch of Aviva’s sponsorship of Clubber TV which we covered here and in an interview with founder Jimmy Doyle here.
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