Stephen Maher - In the last ten minutes, it was like the Alamo. To get past a top Russian side was unbelievable.

A recurring theme amongst talented Irish footballers is an unsuccessful spell in England, followed by financial uncertainty under the employment of domestic clubs on his return to the League of Ireland. Factoring in early retirement due to injuries, as in Stephen Maher’s case, the positive outlook that the former professional players is even more commendable.

Youth football with Home Farm, Cherry Orchard, Shelbourne and Dublin City preceded being part of the latter’s senior squad, who earned promotion to the Premier Division in 2005. However, Stephen chose not to stay in the top flight for a club that dissolved within months of his departure.

“I got promoted to the first team towards the end of 2005,” said Stephen Maher when extratime.ie caught up him recently. “I was offered trials at Portsmouth, Reading and Yeovil, missing Dublin City’s pre-season as a result. I intended to go back, but was then offered another trial. Before I knew it, it was March going into April.

"I ended up playing for Mick Neville at Shelbourne’s U-21s for two months, until I could begin my contract at Yeovil. I made the right decision because Dublin City ended up going bust.”

A two-year deal with the Somerset League One side, included a loan stint at Shamrock Rovers in 2007. Towards the end of the young midfielder’s second season at Huish Park, he regained his place, putting in some impressive displays, but disappointingly he wasn’t offered a contract extension. 

“I didn’t get on with the assistant manager (Steve Thompson), but did with the manager (Russell Slade), who eventually started playing me ... Even the lads said that I should have been involved more. At the season’s end, I didn’t say goodbye or shake the man’s (Thompson’s) hand. He didn’t even say congratulations when I got into the Irish U-21s … That was our relationship. I wanted a fresh start and wish I’d gotten more footballing advice, as opposed to just support from my family.”

Numerous trials ensued and the Dubliner briefly joined Conference outfit Salisbury City in late 2008, before returning home and linking up with St Patrick’s Athletic. At Inchicore, Maher contributed to a memorable UEFA Europa League run during his maiden season.

“A career can have lots of downs and negatives, but the positives always outweigh them. Our league form saw us world-beaters one week and beaten badly the next. They didn’t perform to previous seasons’ levels, but in Europe we excelled. 

“Against Valletta of Malta, Declan O’Brien scored in the last ten minutes. Going to Russia was an incredible experience. We beat Krylia Sovetov in the first leg, and in the second, they came at us. We were 3-0 down and myself and Alan Cawley came on. Alan was exceptional and changed the game. We ended up getting goals back and it was 3-3 on aggregate. 

“In the last ten minutes, it was like the Alamo. Jamie Harris cleared everything and eventually, we got through. To get past a top Russian side was unbelievable. You learn so much from them games, compared to 20 in the League of Ireland. We played Steaua Bucharest in the final play-off ... They were a step too far. Watching them helped me want to become stronger, fitter and move the ball better.”



While at St Pat’s, Stephen was often deployed as a right-back, but 2010 witnessed his signature for Dundalk and a return to midfield: “It was good experience playing in another position, but the following year, Ian Foster asked me to take up midfield again. At right-back, I learned loads and took that on to Dundalk. Once you’re starting, you’re in the door and can work towards the position you want. When I was really young, I didn’t want to do that, but should have listened and benefitted from it.”

A year later, Maher arrived at Monaghan United, but within six months, the club withdrew from the league, leaving behind a bewildered squad of free agents: “I’ve tried to block it out of my mind for the rest of my life (laughs). We were struggling on the pitch and then hit some form.

"The chairman came in and said: ‘Lads, you’ll always get your wages.’ We had a couple of away games in a row and then the summer break was coming in, so there were a few weeks when there was no income for the club. We were told that we’d be paid after the break, but when the time came, it was all over … Gone.”

Reappearances at Dundalk and St Patrick’s Athletic (where Stephen won the 2013 Premier Division) came next, before a two-year stay at Drogheda United. After the Drogs were relegated on the final day of the 2015 campaign, aged 27 and struggling with injuries, Maher departed League of Ireland football.

“It hurts. I find it very hard to take sometimes because I made so many mistakes at Yeovil. I needed help making decisions, but had nobody there to guide me, in a football environment. Playing in Europe for Pat’s and just before signing for Dundalk, the penny dropped.

"At Dundalk, I took ten steps forward and felt I could have went on to perform consistently for years, but didn’t get to do that. I broke my foot, leg and then finished up with an ACL injury … I had such a bad run in a short space of time.  



“People look at my career and think I was a good professional, but injury-prone, which is disappointing to be defined as such. I thought going back to St Pat’s and winning a league would turn it around, but Liam Buckley didn’t give me a chance after I broke my leg. 

“At Drogheda, I did my knee and played for ten months, but it was too much. In 2015, after my dad died, the fire burned out in the belly and I couldn’t go on. I recovered from knee surgery and could have come back, but didn’t have the desire. I take the positives out of it and try to take that into my coaching … That’s the goal.”