‘I'm the lucky one' – Ronan Maher shows true colours with classy gesture to Tipperary teammates after winning GAA award
The towering
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Ronan Maher captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland hurling title
Credit: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
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He named Man of the Match on The Sunday Game
It came after an
Maher did more than his part in the comeback, keeping Brian Hayes - who had scored a hat-trick in Cork's semi-final win over
Dublin
- under wraps.
But speaking from the winner's hotel on
He said: "It is absolutely unbelievable.
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"It is what we all dream about, is coming up to Croke Park and putting in a good performance.
"Someone asked me earlier on there what we done at half time but I think the group as a collective were really, really calm and we knew what we needed to do in the second-half.
"It is an honour for me to captain this group of people. The players, the management, the backroom team.
"I am the lucky one standing up here today. Everybody put in a savage shift today.
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"Even the lads that didn't get onto the field today, everybody there was trememendous throughout the year.
"It is a good honest bunch of people here and couldn't be happier or prouder standing in front of them."
Ronan Maher pays tribute to Dillon Quirke after Tipperary GAA win All-Ireland final
Maher got visibly emotional when host Joanne Cantwell revealed he had written himself into a special chapter of
history
.
A proud Thurles Sarsfields man, the two-time All
Star
has dreamed of joining the club's Hall of Fame.
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In an
And now that he is part of that very exclusive club, Maher couldn't help but smile from ear-to-ear.
He added: "It is a dream come true really.
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"Liam Cahill spoke to me at the start of the year and I was absolutely privileged to get the job again.
"I didn't think I would and I have him to thank for that.
"The picture on that wall is my screensaver for the last two or three years.
"It is something I have been looking forward to, getting up there and it is unbelievable.
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"I couldn't be prouder as a Thurles Sarsfields man and as a Tipperary man to go up on the wall.
"I couldn't do it without these lads down here so it is unbelievable."
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