Tom Maher
banner
tom-maher-tm.bsky.social
Tom Maher
@tom-maher-tm.bsky.social
Women’s football journalist writing for The Halfway Line & The Sporting News 🇮🇪 🐝 🔫 ⚽️
Pinned
Links to my work ✍️ 🎙️

The Sporting News
www.sportingnews.com/us/author/to...

The Halfway Line
thehalfwayline.com/author/tom-m...

Context Sport
www.contextsport.co.uk
Tom Maher | Sporting News
www.sportingnews.com
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞́𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐤𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 ‘𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭’ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩

🗣️Slegers lauded Borbe as well as both Leah Williamson and Beth Mead after a 2-0 victory for Arsenal over Crystal Palace.

#AFCW
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/21/r...
Renée Slegers says Anneke Borbe deserves 'credit' for stepping up - The Halfway Line
Renée Slegers has said that Arsenal third choice goalkeeper Anneke Borbe deserves 'credit' for stepping up for the team.
thehalfwayline.com
December 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐄𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝

FT: Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal book a spot in the Subway League Cup semi finals after a hard fought victory over Crystal Palace in front of a record crowd in Sutton.

thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/21/c...
Crystal Palace 0-2 Arsenal: Player ratings as valiant Eagles culled - The Halfway Line
Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 in front of a record crowd in the Subway Women's League Cup at the VBS Community Stadium on Sunday.
thehalfwayline.com
December 21, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐋𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐧-𝐌𝐨𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 '𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫' 𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬

🗣️Wubben-Moy was speaking after Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 to book a place in the Subway Women's League Cup semi finals.

#afcw
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/21/l...
Lotte Wubben-Moy says she aims to 'empower' Arsenal peers - The Halfway Line
Lotte Wubben-Moy says that she wants to 'empower' her Arsenal team mates as well as 'execute' Renée Slegers' game plans.
thehalfwayline.com
December 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐔𝐖𝐂𝐋 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰: 𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 & 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞

The bracket is set and each team remaining can plot a path to the final in Oslo and we've set that out below:

#UWCL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/18/u...
UWCL Knockout draw: Arsenal & Chelsea set on collision course - The Halfway Line
The UWCL knockout draw has pit Arsenal and Chelsea on a collision course to meet in the quarter finals if the Gunners can beat OH Leuven.
thehalfwayline.com
December 18, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐔𝐄𝐅𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

We have crunched the numbers at The Halfway Line HQ and here is everything you need to know ahead of the final day of the #UWCL League phase.

thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/16/u...
UWCL final day permutations - The Halfway Line
The race to make it to Oslo is heating up, after Wednesday night the UWCL knockout phase participants will be confirmed.
thehalfwayline.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐎𝐥𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬

FT: West Ham 2-2 Liverpool

#BarclaysWSL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/14/w...
West Ham 2-2 Liverpool: Player ratings as Olsson denies Hammers - The Halfway Line
Liverpool staged a late comeback with Beata Olsson scoring in the dying moments to deny West Ham a second victory of the WSL season.
thehalfwayline.com
December 14, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Aoife Wafer returned from injury to make her debut for Harlequins off the bench yesterday in Quins 22-17 victory over Sale Sharks.

A big move for a player at the top of her game.

🇮🇪☘️ #PWR
December 14, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐖𝐂𝐋

FT: Chelsea 6-0 Roma

Chelsea make the next round of the #UWCL after a complete performance at the Bridge eliminated Roma.

thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/10/c...
Chelsea 6-0 Roma: Player ratings as Blues progress in the UWCL - The Halfway Line
Chelsea beat Roma 6-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night to confirm their place in the next round of the UWCL.
thehalfwayline.com
December 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 '𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞' 𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐋 𝐋𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬' 𝐔𝐖𝐂𝐋 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐭

🗣️Jule Brand spoke to The Halfway Lane ahead of her side's trip to face Manchester United tonight in the UWCL.

#UWCL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/10/j...
Jule Brand hails 'good pressure' in OL Lyonnes' UWCL trophy hunt - The Halfway Line
Jule Brand has hailed the 'good pressure' that is put on the OL Lyonnes squad in the UEFA Women's Champions League as the record champions.
thehalfwayline.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:43 AM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐀𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐂 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐔𝐖𝐂𝐋 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬

The Gunners ran out 1-0 winners over the Dutch side in a dominant Champions League display, but fans were still left wanting more 👇

#UWCL #AWFC

thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/09/a...
Arsenal edge past FC Twente to close in on UWCL knockouts - The Halfway Line
Arsenal ran out 1-0 winners over FC Twente in a dominant Champions League display, but fans were still left wanting more.
thehalfwayline.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Spoke to one of the most exciting talents in world football this week, 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝, she spoke on:

- A new chapter at Lyon 📖
- A home EUROs in 2029 🇩🇪
- Lyon legends 🤲
- Janssen reunion 🇳🇱
- Ordering a coffee in French... ☕

#UWCL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/10/j...
Jule Brand hails 'good pressure' in OL Lyonnes' UWCL trophy hunt - The Halfway Line
Jule Brand has hailed the 'good pressure' that is put on the OL Lyonnes squad in the UEFA Women's Champions League as the record champions.
thehalfwayline.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐀𝐬𝐡𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐋𝐚𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 '𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭' 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐖𝐂𝐋 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡

🗣️Canada & OL Lyonnes star Ashley Lawrence spoke to The Halfway Line this week ahead of a huge UWCL clash with Manchester United.

#UWCL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/09/a...
Ashley Lawrence wary of Man United 'fight' ahead of UWCL clash - The Halfway Line
OL Lyonnes defender Ashley Lawrence has stated her side is wary of Manchester United's 'fight' ahead of the sides first meeting on Wednesday.
thehalfwayline.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Courtney Brosnan on her favourite save yesterday “The one on the line in the second half off the deflection is probably the favourite!”

Some nice lines in here from Brosnan after her POTM showing, article by @helenjerome.bsky.social of TNWSM
thenewwomenssportmagazine.com/how-to-beat-...
HOW TO BEAT CHELSEA! By the team who finally did it... - The New Women's Sport Magazine
They thought it couldn’t be done…. And having lost every single one of their last eight WSL away games against Chelsea, the odds were stacked against plucky Everton.So how did they finally end Chelsea...
thenewwomenssportmagazine.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐞́𝐞 𝐒𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 ‘𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭’ 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫

🗣️Slegers was speaking to the media after her Arsenal side fought back to earn a 2-1 victory over Liverpool.

#BarclayWSL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/06/r...
Renée Slegers says Liverpool team talk was her 'firmest' ever - The Halfway Line
Renée Slegers says that the half time team talk she gave to her Arsenal charges was the 'firmest' she has ever given.
thehalfwayline.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐆𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 '𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬' 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

🗣️Taylor was speaking after his Liverpool side fell to a defeat to Arsenal after a stubborn performance at the Emirates.

#BarclaysWSL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/06/g...
Gareth Taylor says Liverpool need to do 'lots' of January business - The Halfway Line
Gareth Taylor says that Liverpool need to do 'lots' of business in the January transfer window to keep up in the WSL.
thehalfwayline.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐬

FT Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool

Arsenal move up to third after victory while Liverpool remain rooted to the bottom of the WSL table.

#BarclaysWSL
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/06/a...
Arsenal 2-1 Liverpool: Player ratings as Blackstenius sinks Reds - The Halfway Line
Arsenal beat Liverpool 2-1 thanks to a late Stina Blackstenius strike which secured a vital win for Arsenal at the Emirates.
thehalfwayline.com
December 6, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
😳 TOO MANY! An interesting hypothetical from @[email protected] - especially when you recall that China 🇨🇳 are ranked 16th (I think) and Ghana 🇬🇭 far below. Which based on this week’s games is nuts 🥜 (Brazil 🇧🇷 nuts)
Wrote something a little different for @thehalfwayline.bsky.social this week!

As I tried to answer the question: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟒𝟖 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬?

Projected outcomes came with no shortage of drama...

thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/03/w...
What would a FIFA Women’s World Cup look like with 48 teams? - The Halfway Line
What if the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil had matched the expanded format that the men's World Cup in 2026 has utilised?
thehalfwayline.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐆𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐔𝐄𝐅𝐀 𝐄𝐔𝐑𝐎 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟗

The UEFA Executive Committee agreed and announced the decision on Wednesday as Germany win the bid ahead of stiff competition from Poland, Denmark & Sweden.

More details below:

#UEFAEURO2029
thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/03/g...
Germany will host UEFA EURO 2029 - The Halfway Line
Germany will host UEFA Euro 2029 after the UEFA Executive Committee agreed and announced the decision on Wednesday.
thehalfwayline.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Wrote something a little different for @thehalfwayline.bsky.social this week!

As I tried to answer the question: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟒𝟖 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬?

Projected outcomes came with no shortage of drama...

thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/03/w...
What would a FIFA Women’s World Cup look like with 48 teams? - The Halfway Line
What if the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil had matched the expanded format that the men's World Cup in 2026 has utilised?
thehalfwayline.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐀 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐩 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝟒𝟖 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬?

The Women's World Cup will expand to 48 nations in 2031 but what if it had happened in this World Cup cycle? 🤔🌎

thehalfwayline.com/2025/12/03/w...
What would a FIFA Women’s World Cup look like with 48 teams? - The Halfway Line
What if the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil had matched the expanded format that the men's World Cup in 2026 has utilised?
thehalfwayline.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Reposted by Tom Maher
Fab interview with Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah by @tom-maher-tm.bsky.social here! Great way to preview the upcoming #Lionesses v #Ghana clash on the south coast this week - in which she's looking forward to facing her friend Chloe Kelly!
Ahead of 🇬🇭 vs 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 next week, I sat down with Black Queens star Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah who spoke on:

• Her Ghana initiation 🪩
• WAFCON 24 & 26 🌍
• The CB-H derby 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇭
• Leaving LCL 🛫
• Life at Forest 🌳
• The GK’s union? 🧤

✍️ for TNWSM: thenewwomenssportmagazine.com/dancing-quee...
DANCING QUEEN - Ghana and Forest star Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah speaks - The New Women's Sport Magazine
Nottingham Forest and Ghana forward Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah has had a year to remember, from securing promotion to the WSL to making her Ghana debut and securing the bronze at WAFCON.Boye-Hlorkah spoke...
thenewwomenssportmagazine.com
November 29, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Ahead of 🇬🇭 vs 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 next week, I sat down with Black Queens star Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah who spoke on:

• Her Ghana initiation 🪩
• WAFCON 24 & 26 🌍
• The CB-H derby 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇭
• Leaving LCL 🛫
• Life at Forest 🌳
• The GK’s union? 🧤

✍️ for TNWSM: thenewwomenssportmagazine.com/dancing-quee...
DANCING QUEEN - Ghana and Forest star Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah speaks - The New Women's Sport Magazine
Nottingham Forest and Ghana forward Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah has had a year to remember, from securing promotion to the WSL to making her Ghana debut and securing the bronze at WAFCON.Boye-Hlorkah spoke...
thenewwomenssportmagazine.com
November 29, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Ahead of Remembrance Day weekend, I’ve written about Irish players who did not wear a poppy last weekend in WSL & WSL 2.

They received unacceptable abuse online for their decision.

They need protection to ensure the mistakes of the past aren’t repeated.

thehalfwayline.com/2025/11/07/i...
Irish players have taken a principled stance, now they need to be protected - The Halfway Line
This weekend a number of Irish players in both the WSL and WSL 2 took the decision not to wear a poppy embroidered shirt.
thehalfwayline.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝

A number of Irish WSL players did not wear a poppy last weekend and received abuse online, this must end writes @tom-maher-tm.bsky.social ✍️

thehalfwayline.com/2025/11/07/i...
Irish players have taken a principled stance, now they need to be protected - The Halfway Line
This weekend a number of Irish players in both the WSL and WSL 2 took the decision not to wear a poppy embroidered shirt.
thehalfwayline.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Reposted by Tom Maher
𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐖

Let the team catch you up on all the latest from the WSL as Blackstenius boosts the Gunners!

Also hear updates from the WSL 2, NWSL, and of course enjoy another highly-anticipated round of 'goalless'.

#BarclaysWSL #NWSL #WSL2
November 4, 2025 at 9:55 AM