GARRETH O'Connor believes Sean O'Driscoll has pulled off another masterstroke by persuading his former Bohemians team-mate Shaun Maher to join Cherries.

Maher finally completed his free transfer from the League of Ireland outfit when he put pen to paper on a one-year deal with a 12-month option two days ago.

The 23-year-old then lined up alongside O'Connor for the first time since their days together with Bohs during Cherries' Worthington Cup first round clash against Torquay.

And despite crashing to a shock 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Division Three strugglers, Maher turned in an assured display to earn the sponsors' man-of-the-match award.

His accomplished performance at the heart of the Cherries defence followed hot on the heels of an equally impressive debut against Blackpool on Saturday.

And O'Connor, who joined Cherries on a free from Bohs last summer, is convinced Maher will establish himself as one of the most sought-after defenders in England.

O'Connor said: "I've been saying to the manager all along that Shaun is a good player and he will be a great acquisition for the club.

"I've known him since we were six or seven. We were in the same class all the way through school and he has always been a very good player.

"I rate him very highly. He was the best central defender in the League or Ireland and very unlucky not to get any international recognition.

"Shaun is a class act and he has got everything. He's quick, very good in the air, has two good feet and is a great passer. There are no minuses to his game.

"I think he has impressed everybody since he arrived here and I honestly believe he will go on to become one of the defensive finds of the season."

Maher has also proved his credentials on the international stage when he helped Bohs chalk up one of the most memorable victories in their history 12 months ago.

His 82nd-minute goal at Pittodrie put Bohs on course to topple Aberdeen over two legs in the qualifying round of last season's UEFA Cup.

He also featured in the first round when the Dalymount Park outfit gave Kaiserslautern a scare before the German giants went through 3-2 on aggregate.

Former Cherries boss Mel Machin first spotted Maher and O'Connor during a scouting mission to the Republic of Ireland in March 2000.

The duo were invited to train with Cherries, and, although Machin eventually managed to capture O'Connor, his repeated efforts to sign Maher kept falling through due to various cash wrangles.

Maher's first taste in the English game ended prematurely when he was released by Fulham after making just two appearances in the Auto Windscreens Shield following a £40,000 move to Craven Cottage in December 1997.

Signed by former England boss Kevin Keegan, the Dubliner failed to settle in London and the Cottagers agreed to tear up his three-year contract because he was homesick.

He returned to Ireland in July 1998 and worked in a factory owned by Bohs president Tony O'Connell while turning out on a part-time basis for Roddy Collins' side in the League of Ireland.

Signed by Bohs from schoolboy outfit Stella Maris in 1996, Maher also had trials at Wigan, Dundee and Dynamo Dresden during his days at Dalymount Park, while Luton and Wycombe were also keen to snap him up before he joined Cherries.