Ballingarry legend Willie Maher is set to stay on as Laois hurling manager

Ballingarry native Willie Maher is set to remain on as Laois senior hurling manager for the coming year alongside former Waterford player Dan Shanahan and Laois native Eamon Jackman who also hurled with his county. 

Maher, the former All-Ireland winning minor captain (back in 1996), hurled with Tipperary until a promising career was cut short due to an eye injury which forced his retirement from the game.

Following that setback he began to build a steady coaching career and went on to manage his native county at Under 21 level, as well as Cuala in Dublin among other prominent club sides, before he made the step up to senior intercounty level with Laois, when he took over from Séamus "Cheddar" Plunkett last September.

Following on from an executive meeting earlier this week, Laois GAA are set to recommend to the County Committee that the present management team remain in place for the coming year.

The O'Moore County team is a work in progress currently as they finished third in the Joe McDonagh Cup championship campaign and came so close to making the final -they were just a single point outside a place in the final of the competition. 

Overall this year they secured three wins, a draw and just a single defeat. Hopes will be high across Laois that with an ambitious young manager in charge, 2024 will be their year for glory.