 In 1970 Maher won his sole Railway Cup medal following a 2–15 to 0–9 defeat of arch-rivals Leinster.Born in Cork in 1945, Maher was educated at Greenmount School and later attended Coláiste Chríost Rí where he developed a talent for hurling.Maher worked as a textile dyer after leaving school, before spending some time employed by the Ford Motor Company and later the Office of Public Works.