‘Deserved recognition' for Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher

Ruaidhri Higgins believes that Brian Maher’s invitation to train with the Republic of Ireland’s senior squad this week is deserved recognition for his work with Derry City over the past two years.

The former U21 international has been at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown in Dublin this week at the request of interim Republic manager John O’Shea, and he has worked alongside Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher, Southampton’s Gavin Bazunu and Bournemouth’s Mark Travers ahead of the Republic’s double bill at the Aviva Stadium against Belgium on Saturday and Switzerland next Tuesday. It is the second time that Maher has been invited to train with the senior squad, having been invited by Stephen Kenny last summer.

Maher, who was named the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland ‘Goalkeeper of the Year’ for 2023, has made 91 appearances for Derry City in two seasons and kept 44 clean sheets in the process. At just 23 years old, he is widely regarded as one of the best young goalkeepers in the country and has already helped his club to FAI Cup success in 2022, two second place finishes in the Premier Division as well as an extended run in the Europa Conference Qualifying League last summer.

O’Shea already knows all about Maher having worked with him in the Republic’s U21s and Higgins believes it will be a great experience for his goalkeeper.

“It shows you the esteem in which he's held and what he's thought of,” the Derry City manager said. “John obviously worked with him in the 21s as well so knows him very well. Rene Gilmartin, who's in with John as goalkeeping coach with his senior team, knows Brian very well, so it's nice recognition for the work Brian's done over the last couple of years.”

Maher has been surrounded by some high-quality goalkeepers this week and Higgins believes that Maher will not have been out of place at all.

“I think obviously the three goalkeepers that are in the squad there at the minute, Travers, Bazunu and Kelleher, have been the three now for quite a while,” he continued. “They are three exceptional young goalkeepers. Brian has obviously had a brilliant few years here, so there's real quality in the goalkeeping department in this country. He's in very, very good company, that's for sure.”

Over the close season, there was widespread speculation over Maher’s future, with the goalkeeper constantly being linked with a move away from Derry City. The club even admitted to receiving a concrete offer from a League One side at the start of the year, but he kept his focus during all that furore and has helped Derry City into a good start to the new season.

ONE FOR ALL… Derry City goalkeeper Brian Maher with Republic of Ireland Goalkeeping coach Rene Gilmartin and from left, Gavin Bazunu and Mark Travers during a Republic of Ireland training session at the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, Dublin.

“He's a clever lad,” Higgins said. “He's a confident lad, but in a good way. He's certainly not the type to lose the run of himself. I know Brian. He's made very, very few mistakes over the last couple of years, very few. But when he has made the odd one, he's got on with it and not let it affect him and it shows the character that he has as well.”

Options

O’Shea, when discussing his goalkeeping options at the minute admits he has a difficult choice ahead of him in picking his goalkeeper for the upcoming games, but insists it is ‘a nice problem to have’.

“It’s brilliant, healthy competition at the minute and it’s great to see Caoimhin getting that consistent run of games. Gavin (Bazunu) has had that all season so it’s a tricky one; Mark (Travers) was doing well at Stoke and then got called back and has been playing cup games for Bournemouth. I remember thinking about it in the summer when you saw the lads when we were away in Turkey at the time, just the real depth of quality that they have. It’s going to be a tough decision, but it’s a nice problem to have.”

O’Shea, who played with some of the best goalkeepers in the world during his playing days with Manchester United, is in no doubt of the importance of the goalkeeping position to the overall success of the team.

“The big thing for me is the relationship you build up with the team and the squad, be it a back four or a back five. As son as you get that relationship, and you get that consistency to it, I have that is crucial to a team being successful.