McGrath: I feared I’d be forced out

KEN McGRATH yesterday admitted he feared his retirement could have been forced by a poor performance in this year’s championship.

The 33-year-old Mount Sion man, who yesterday announced his decision to quit inter-county hurling, felt it was wiser to go now rather than face a sadder end to his illustrious Waterford career at the height of the season.

“The last thing you want to do is get a roasting from a young fella in Thurles or Croke Park,” McGrath told WLR Radio.

“I was a proud hurler for 14 or 15 years and I felt I was close to the top of it and I didn’t want to go down too far back. It’s time to move on now and it’s gone now. I didn’t feel I was doing myself justice and I had to be man enough to admit it.”

McGrath conceded he will take some time before reconciling with his career being over.

“Life moves on but it’s going to be unbelievably hard. I know nothing else really and have dedicated my whole life to it but that’s the way it is and I’m happy enough with the decision. I know what standard I need to be at and I wasn’t at that standard.”