Ronan Maher (footballer)
Irish footballer (born 2004)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ronan Arjun Maher (born 30 December 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Wealdstone on loan from EFL League Two club Walsall. Born in England, he represents the Republic of Ireland at youth level.
|
Maher in March 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ronan Arjun Maher[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 30 December 2004[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Wealdstone (on loan from Walsall) | ||
| Number | 31 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2015 | West Bromwich Albion | ||
| 2015–2022 | Walsall | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022– | Walsall | 15 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | → Rushall Olympic (loan) | 25 | (4) |
| 2024–2025 | → Tamworth (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2025–2026 | → Tamworth (loan) | 16 | (2) |
| 2026– | → Wealdstone (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2025– | Republic of Ireland U21 | 2 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:58, 3 October 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:26, 24 March 2025 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Maher played futsal at an early age, and played football at West Bromwich Albion for four years before being released at under-11 level.[3] He then joined Walsall at the age of eleven and was the under-18 team's top-scorer during the 2021–22 campaign.[4] He made his first-team debut on the opening day of the 2022–23 season on 30 July 2022, coming on as an 80th-minute substitute in a 4–0 win over Hartlepool United at the Bescot Stadium.[5] He signed a three-year professional contract the following month.[6]
He scored his first professional goal for Walsall on 8 August 2023 in a 3–4 EFL Cup first round defeat to Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.[7]
On 25 August 2023, Maher signed for National League North side Rushall Olympic on a youth loan until 6 January 2024.[8] Maher made his debut for The Pics on the following day in a 1–1 draw with Banbury United.[9] He was recalled from his loan spell on 7 November 2023[10][11] before returning to Rushall, on a loan deal to the end of the season, on 26 January 2024.[11]
On 22 November 2024, Maher joined National League side Tamworth on a one-month loan deal.[12] He scored Tamworth's 94th-minute equaliser in their second round FA Cup encounter at Burton Albion, sending the game to penalties which Tamworth went on to win 4–3.[13] He was recalled in April 2025.[14]
On 20 June 2025, Walsall announced he had signed a new two-year deal.[15]
On 4 October 2025, Maher returned to National League club Tamworth on a youth-loan until 29 December.[16]
On 25 September 2026, Maher signed for National League side Wealdstone on a three-month loan deal.[17] He made his debut the following day in a 4–0 win over Gateshead.[18]
International career
Maher made his debut for the Republic of Ireland under-19 team in a 6–0 win over Gibraltar on 21 September 2022.[19] He started in the following game, a 2023 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification match with Wales, which ended in a 2–0 victory for the Irish.[20] Walsall manager Michael Flynn said that he was "very proud of Ronan".[21]
On 13 March 2025, Maher received his first Republic of Ireland U21 call up for their friendlies against Scotland U21 & Hungary U21 in Spain.[22] He made his debut for the side against Scotland U21 on 21 March, in a 2–0 defeat.[23]
Personal life
Born in England, Maher is of Irish and Indian descent.[24]
Career statistics
- As of match played 3 October 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup[a] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Walsall | 2022–23[25] | League Two | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2023–24[26] | League Two | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2[b] | 0 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2024–25[27] | League Two | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2025–26[28] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2026–27[29] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| Rushall Olympic (loan) | 2023–24[2] | National League North | 25 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 7[c] | 4 | 34 | 8 | |
| Tamworth (loan) | 2024–25[30] | National League | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 15 | 3 | |
| Tamworth (loan) | 2025–26[31] | National League | 17 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2[d] | 0 | 25 | 4 |
| Wealdstone (loan) | 2026–27[32] | National League | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Career total | 73 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 20 | 4 | 110 | 17 | ||
- Includes EFL Cup & National League Cup
- Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy
- Appearances in the Staffordshire Senior Cup and Walsall Senior Cup
Honours
Rushall Olympic
- Staffordshire Senior Cup: 2023–24[33]
- Walsall Senior Cup: 2023–24[34]