Bonner Maher Makes Honest Admission About Decision To Retire

There are few figures in modern hurling as respected as Patrick "Bonner" Maher. Synonymous with selflessness, grit, and honesty on and off the pitch, Maher’s decision to step away from the Tipperary senior hurling panel in October 2024 was taken with precisely those values in mind.

And in typical Bonner fashion, his reflections on retirement weren’t focused on accolades or longevity, but rather on clearing a path for the next wave of Tipperary hurlers to take the stage.

Speaking at the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Championship Launch, Maher reflected candidly on the timing of his retirement.

I think my time had come. I kind of had that decision made and I was happy with that decision. Even foresight and looking forward to this year, I'd rather have a younger guy in there and really pushing rather than me maybe being dragged along.

At the beginning of 2024, I kind of had to sit down with the family and my girlfriend and said, look, I'm considering going back for one more year, but that'll be it.

As he observed the emerging talent from the under-20 ranks, players like Darragh McCarthy, who had impressed with his club Toomevara and with Tipperary underage teams. He knew the best move for the county’s future was to step aside in October 2024.

By me stepping away, it gives an opportunity to a younger player to come in and start his career and drive on the panel.

It was where I found out I really wanted to play intercounty senior hurling for Tipperary at some stage.

That hunger, first stirred in curtain-raisers before senior Munster finals and All-Ireland days in Croke Park, never left him. It’s now something he recognises in the eyes of the up-and-coming squad members making their way under Liam Cahill’s stewardship.

"Some of the talent we’re seeing coming from that under-20 team… they’re getting them to reach their potential and future-proofing Tipp hurling moving forward. I’ve no doubt there’s an awful lot of talent coming along that pipeline," said Maher.

Bonner Maher on Club Life and the Split Season

Now on the outside looking in, Maher admits it’s been refreshing to view the game with a slightly different perspective, especially in the context of the much-debated split season. For club players, he sees real positives.

"It’s good… you have a set structure, you know your championship dates, and it gives a bit of flexibility. If you need to get away on a holiday, which club players didn’t have for such a long time, now you can.

It’s not a full year-round training for club players anymore, which realistically is asking a lot for an amateur game."

But perhaps the most striking part of Maher’s post-intercounty outlook is his defence of the current provincial structures, particularly in his native Munster. As some critics have questioned whether only three teams progressing from the Munster and Leinster round robins is too harsh, Maher believes the jeopardy is precisely what keeps people invested.

That bit of edge is good for the game. It keeps it interesting. People really get into it when the last game of that round-robin series has a big effect on the year of the county. It just adds to the flair… unfortunately, there’s going to be losers and that’s what makes every game matter.

That sentiment rings especially true for Tipperary, who have seen both sides of that sword in recent seasons. But for Maher, watching a young squad rise to those challenges is exactly why the structure should remain uncompromised.

Every day after this is going to be an experience, and it’ll be great exposure to these younger players… it’ll benefit them massively moving forward.

Patrick "Bonner" Maher was speaking at the 2025 Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Championship Launch.