Noel McGrath: 'To have my son there was one of the greatest things I could have done'
That was 15 years ago, the youngster firing home a goal as part of a memorable Croke Park day for Tipperary against Kilkenny.
On Sunday he was sharing in another magical day for his county, lofting over the last point of the game and claiming his fourth medal.
Now he is a father and sharing the aftermath with his son Sam elevated the meaning of this victory.
'To be able to have my son there was one of the greatest things I could have done and I lifted the Liam MacCarthy with him in my arms.
'He's two since March, I have another baby coming in October. I never thought in my wildest dreams that I'd be able to bring him to Croke Park. To win an All-Ireland with him is unreal.
'That will be something that I will remember forever and that I have forever. In time he'll see all the pictures from it, he won't remember it but he'll have them memories and all those pictures. It's special for me to be able to do that with him.'
Tipperary's Noel McGrath lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup with his son Sam. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Life off the pitch is busy for McGrath, who works as a territory manager for MSD Animal Health in the Munster area.
He turns 35 in December and has been a constant presence in the Tipperary squad since 2009. McGrath has not made any decision on whether he will prolong a glittering career but the question has been one he has had to consider in every off-season of late.
'Over the last number of years, at the end of every year, you do think about it. When you're feeling good about it and when you're enjoying it, it's hard to step away, because when you're gone, you're gone. You're not going to come back at my age, when it's over.
'So I'm delighted I have been able to contribute over the last number of years and especially to be able to be part of it this year. Who knows into the future? There's no point in me saying here now what I know I'm going to do. I'd love to stay playing forever but I know that can't happen. We'll see in time. I'll go back to the club and see how that goes over the next few months.
Advertisement
'As I said after the semi-final, it never gets old. As long as you're able to do it and to have days like this, it would keep anyone in good form, and looking to do it again. It's unreal, it's unbelievable.'
Tipperary's Noel McGrath celebrates after the game. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
The mental capacity to keep going is key for McGrath.
'You know what, physically-wise, with the way the thing has gone nowadays with S&C, if you're willing to put in the work, you'll get your body right. It's the head more than anything. You have to be willing to get yourself up and to go training every week. That's probably the hardest part – if you're able to do that. And if you're mentally able to do it.
'Because physically, with the way everything has gone, people are keeping themselves fit going to the gym, even if you're not playing sport. But yeah, mentally I've been really, really enjoying it. I never really had that evening where you're dragging yourself out to training. You'd be looking forward to it and that for me is the part that really keeps you going, that you're not feeling it as a drag.'
McGrath had a key input in shaping Tipperary's All-Ireland winning campaign but was largely operating in a changed role off the bench.
'Of course, everyone wants to play. I'm no different, I'd love to be starting. But there's 38 lads on our panel that would love to start and you have to trust the management that what they're deciding is the right thing for the team. I go in training and I burst myself every night to be trying to get on that 15. And if you're not on it, you want to be one of the ones that come on.
'To get on the field and to get involved was unreal. To be able to get that score at the end was a great feeling. It was just nice to be part of it.'
The McGrath family influence extended beyond Noel.
Brian, the youngest of the trio, was also on the panel.
John was in sensational attacking form as he fired 2-2 from play and was fouled for the penalty where Darragh McCarthy netted.
Tipperary's Brian McGrath, Noel McGrath and John McGrath celebrate with the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
'He's been very good for us this year,' said Noel.
'He's had a tough few years where he had been on (the team), he wasn't on, he was off. But his club form has been unbelievable, especially in the last five or six (years). I think the whole country is seeing that now, how good he's been over the last six months with Tipperary.'
'That's a big injury (John tore his Achilles in 2022). He got back from it and he's flying fit now again and it's great to see.'
The triumph enshrines McGrath's status in the pantheon of Tipperary hurling greats.
A fourth All-Ireland medal win places him on a higher tier/
'It's a nice honour. There's no point in saying that I didn't know that if we won, getting to four was the first time since '65 or '71 that someone has done it. I love hurling and I know a lot about the history of Tipperary so I would have been aware of that.
'Now that's happened, sure it's a great feeling and I'm delighted to be one with four. There's a lot of lads with three and a few with two and more with their first so to be in that category is unreal.
'I'd love to be able to give it a go and have a rattle off it next year again but we'll go back to the club over the next few months and we'll battle it out against each other there and see what happens.'
The transformation in the season of team-mate Darragh McCarthy pleased McGrath.
Sent-off against Cork in the opening seconds of the Munster championship, he struck 1-13 on Sunday when the teams renewed acquaintances on the biggest stage.
'He's had a tough few weeks and months with different things but his form and his attitude and his mood never really changed. He's one of the most dedicated hurlers you'll find. He's always practising.
'Nobody likes to see that happen to a teammate and he had a tough few weeks and months but he gave an exhibition in an All-Ireland final.
'I have great time for him, he's a lovely young fella and I was delighted that yesterday went the way it did.'
*****

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sharlene Mawdsley responds to viral street sprint video after All-Ireland win
Sharlene Mawdsley has joked that she is happy to return to the track after racing on the streets of Thurles while enjoying the All-Ireland Hurling celebrations. Mawdsley's partner, Michael Breen, was part of the Tipperary team that beat Cork in Sunday's All-Ireland final, and the Irish Olympian enjoyed the celebrations with the panel and their friends. And as the celebrations rolled on, a video circulated of sprinter Mawdsley racing on the streets of Thurles where she won comfortably, despite giving her competitor a head start. After a couple of days of well-deserved celebrations, Mawdsley shared a snap back on the track and poked fun at herself, saying: "Swapping the streets of Thurles for the track today" Sharlene appeared on stage with her partner, Tipperary defender Mikey Breen, and the pair were captured in a lovely photograph showing the two of them holding the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Tipperary player Michael Breen celebrates with his partner, Olympic athlete Sharlene Mawdsley (Image: ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy) Mawdsley and Breen have formed something of a sporting power couple in recent times, with the sprinter going 'Instagram official' with the Tipp defender at the beginning of the Summer. Mawdsley took to Instagram in the wake of Tipp's win, sharing a photo of herself with Breen on the Croke Park pitch along with the caption: "Proud of you every day, but that little bit prouder today." For Breen, it is his third All-Ireland title win, and has been a mainstay for the Premier County throughout his intercounty career. For the latest headlines and top stories from the Irish Mirror, visit our homepage


Irish Examiner
4 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
GAA apologise to Kilkenny for scoreboard error in All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Tipperary
Kilkenny have received an apology from the GAA for the scoreboard error in the closing stages of their All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Tipperary earlier this month. Various stakeholders in the county have been informed of the correspondence from Croke Park, which expresses regret for the mistake that impacted the conclusion of the game that Tipperary won by two points. Kilkenny and Tipperary were of the understanding that the latter were four points ahead after Noel McGrath's 70th minute point attempt. The shot was waved wide but the scoreboard counted it as a point. Following a Jordan Molloy point in the second minute of additional time, Kilkenny went in search of what they thought was a required goal to force extra-time when they were in fact only two points behind. Kilkenny, it is understood, wrote to Croke Park seeking clarification about the matter although a replay was never in question. The county's officials have refused to comment publicly on the matter and Tipperary manager Liam Cahill complimented the county's dignified stance. 'Like ourselves, if Kilkenny don't win it on the field, they ain't going to bring it to the boardroom, that's for sure.' On the evening of the game, the GAA released a statement acknowledging the error. "The GAA can confirm that the official score at the end of the Tipperary v Kilkenny GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final was 4-20 to 0-30. 'The GAA acknowledges there was confusion over the final score. The CCCC (Central Competitions Control Committee) is awaiting the full referee's report in order to establish how the initial mistake occurred." Speaking last week, the GAA's national match officials manager Donal Smyth said the error was down to a combination of factors. "It was a mixture of stuff. The time of the game probably didn't help. So at 69 minutes we had a Kilkenny sub, at 70 minutes the ball went wide, we had a Tipperary sub at the same time. "We didn't notice the scoreboard had changed in relation to that (McGrath's wide). Then the difficulty is we didn't get a break in play to stop the game to check the thing. "We've changed our processes last week and our protocols around that, so it's something we just have to work on." In the aftermath of the game, former GAA president Nickey Brennan said his native Kilkenny as well as Tipperary were due an apology. This past weekend, Kilkenny great Henry Shefflin spoke on The Sunday Game about how 'baffling' the communication was around the controversy. He added: "There hasn't been much noise about it and it seems it's just moved on'.


Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Irish women's basketball team consider ‘next steps' after being drawn against Israel once again in Euros qualifiers
Basketball Ireland said it was 'extremely alarmed by the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza' after the draw as the IDF's blockade and on-going military offensive continues in the Palestinian territory. Ireland are due to begin their European campaign against Luxembourg on November 12 at home before also facing Bosnia and Herzegovina (November 15) in Dublin and Israel away (November 18). However they may reluctant to play the Israelis again, given the Irish women's team found themselves in the middle of a diplomatic storm last year when they faced them in the previous European qualifying campaign. 'Basketball Ireland have spoken to FIBA Europe subsequently and are awaiting clarifications on a number of matters,' the governing body said in a statement this evening. 'Basketball Ireland will also be liaising with players, coaching staff, Sport Ireland, the Government, and other stakeholders over the coming days and we will provide an update next week.' While Ireland fulfilled last year's games citing fines and expulsion from competition, the worsening conditions in Gaza may change things with the World Health Organisation warning of famine conditions there.