Laois Garda to captain team in All-Ireland Hurling Final

placeholder image — Pictured: Laois Garda Ronan Maher

Garda Ronan Maher will take to Croke Park this weekend

A Laois Garda will lead Tipperary as captain in this year's All Ireland Hurling Final.

Portlaoise Garda Ronan Maher will travel the road to Croker this Sunday as Tipperary go head to head with Cork.

Laois Gardaí wished Mr Maher the best of luck in the match.

"It’s a huge honour — and one you carry with humility, grit, and no shortage of skill," they praised.

Pictured: Garda Ronan Maher, Tipperary senior hurling captain

"Whatever way the result goes, we’re all immensely proud of you. Wearing the Tipp jersey with pride and the Garda uniform with integrity — it doesn’t get much better than that. Go n-éirí leat, Captain," the touching tribute finished.

The post has received hundred of likes and dozens of comments, praising Mr Maher as 'a credit to the guards'.

With Cork tipped as the favourites to win, Mr Maher and his team are expected to play a very exciting match.

There is a history of Tipperary captains in Mr Maher's family, with his brother and his grandfather previously leading the Premier county.

Mr Maher's grandfather, ‘Long’ Dinny Maher, was Tipperary's first hurling captain back in 1887.

Mr Maher plays for Thurles Sarsfields club, playing with the Tipperary Minor Hurlers in 2012 and 2013, and winning Munster and All-Ireland medals in 2012 at corner-back.

Pictured: Garda Ronan Maher

Part of the Tipperary Under 21 Hurling panel in 2013, 2014 and 2015, he went on to win a Munster Senior Hurling medal in 2015, lining out at corner-back before winning another Provincial Senior medal in 2016, this time at centre-back.

The Garda won an All-Ireland Senior Hurling at centre-back in 2016 and was nominated for that final’s man of the match award, before going on to win his second All Ireland Senior medal in 2019.

Ronan also played on the Thurles Sarsfields Senior Hurling panel which won Tipperary and Munster titles in 2012 and won County Senior Hurling medals in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

He has won two All-Star awards in 2016 and 2019, and was also nominated for an award in 2020. The hurler was nominated for the 2016 Young Hurler of the Year award.