Derry goalkeeper Maher 'content' to focus on football

Brian Maher says he is just happy to be back playing football, after months of speculation over his future.

The Derry City goalkeeper, who saved a penalty in last week’s 2-1 win over Drogheda United at the Brandywell, had been linked with a move away from the club, speculation which just refused to go away over the winter months.

But, he insists, he is happy at Derry City and eager to focus on what matters most, helping his team to a long-awaited league title.

“With what went on in the off-season; I think the manager made a joke the other night to the media that I’ve been sold four times, so it’s nice just to be back,” he said. “My focus is always just on football and I have people looking after that side of it and that was between the clubs. All I know is that I’m happy here at the club and I’m just delighted to be back playing football again.”

Maher admits his connection with the fans remains important to him, having been made to feel so welcome in the city since first arriving in 2022.

“It’s a great connection to have and probably something I could never have imagine when I first came up," he acknowledged. “I have been taken in as one of their own and I’m very grateful for that and, we’re going to need everybody if we’re going to achieve anything this year. To have that connection with the fans has been amazing, and hopefully they can keep backing us and we can keep performing.”

Maher’s penalty save from Ryan Brennan last week was greeted as loudly as a goal, and he admitted that he had done his homework on the Drogheda man’s penalties before the game.

“He has taken a few against me in the past and I’ve just decided before the game that if he took one, I was going to go that way and thankfully it came off,” he explained.

“I’m just glad that it helped get us over the line. I think it was probably at a good time, at 1-0; I know we scored soon after then to make it 2-0, so you’re probably going from 1-1 to 2-0 up and it’s something that I’ve spoken about with Doc the goalkeeping coach, and Ruaidhri, is be there when you’re needed, to make big saves and thankfully I did that on Friday.”

The penalty save was particularly enjoyable considering Maher and his team mates suffered penalty shoot-out defeats in both the Europa Conference League and the FAI Cup within four days of each other last season.

“I’m not going to deny that those four days were very tough,” he admitted. “They were tough on the whole team as well as me. It’s just trying to take learning from it and I just had to be as mentally as strong as I could and keep focusing on the next game. But we did put work into it, and it was nice to see that the work paid off this time.”

Sligo test

The Candystripes have found life very difficult at the Sligo Showgrounds in recent years, with no wins in their last four visits.

“We’ve not been good enough down there,” Maher acknowledged. “There were nights that we deserved more, but there were also nights where we got what we deserved and we didn’t play well enough. It’s a tricky ground to go to, especially when it’s going to be their first home game of the season, so they will be expecting a big crowd.

“But we’ll also have our travelling fans in numbers, and we’ll need them, and if we can go six points from six it will be a very good start and one that everyone will be happy with. I think again, regardless of how we play, it’s just about getting over the line down there.”

CONNECTION… Brian Maher is excited at the talent that Pat Hoban has already added to the squad.

Derry City’s title ambitions in 2023 suffered irreparable damage at the Showgrounds twice in 2023, with two 1-0 defeats helping Shamrock Rovers to a fourth successive title. Maher is keen to avoid a similar result this time around.

“I think it has to be spoken about and it has to be learned from, but at the same time it’s not going to be something that we let hang over us,” he explained. “We have probably got boys back that didn’t even play in those games last year and we have new boys in the door who wouldn’t have been around for them. We’re in good shape going into the game and we’re preparing well for it.”

Hoban influence

Maher is as excited as the fans at the impact Patrick Hoban has already made at the club, with his performance against Drogheda showing just what he can bring to the team.

“Exactly, the winner and an assist, so it probably got as good as it could have on his first night,” he reflected. “I think the type of way we play will suit him and the way he plays suits us, so I think it is probably a very good match.

“At the same time, it’s not about just one man – one man is not going to win us the league, we need everybody chipping in, right through from one to 23.

"There’s no mistaking that he’s a brilliant player and he will hopefully be a great signing for us, and so far, all the signs have been very good. He’s one of the best strikers to ever play in this league and he showed on Friday why that is. We’re just delighted that he plays for Derry.”