'I'd love to play forever': Noel McGrath joins Tipp greats with fourth All-Ireland medal

“I never thought in my wildest dreams that I'd be able to bring him to Croke Park," Noel McGrath said about having his son on the pitch after Sunday' victory. "To win an All-Ireland with him is unreal."

Noel McGrath is the fourth Tipperary player to win All-Ireland medals in three different decades. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Tipperary’s club of four-time All-Ireland senior hurling medal winners welcomed a ninth member on Sunday.

Only 12 from the county have more than Noel McGrath and by winning a Celtic Cross in a third different decade the Loughmore-Castleiney man joined an even more exclusive group. From Tipperary, John Doyle collected honours from the 1940s to 60s, Jimmy Doyle from the 1950s to ’71 and before them Tommy Doyle.

McGrath wasn’t completely aware of those records but being interested in Tipperary hurling history he had an idea of where a fourth All-Ireland medal would place him. “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 live hurling and I know a lot about the history of Tipperary so I would have been aware of that and 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.” 

Just like Darragh McCarthy is now, McGrath was 19 when he claimed his first All-Ireland medal. As a substitute on the day, McGrath was quick to put his arm around the Toomevara youngster when he was sent off prior to the Munster SHC defeat to Cork.

His recovery since has heartened his older team-mate. “He’s one of the most dedicated hurlers you’ll find. He’s always practising, always doing different things. He’s a nice young fella. Nobody likes to see that happen to a team-mate and he had a tough few weeks and months but he gave an exhibition in an All-Ireland final.

Noel McGrath of Tipperary, and his son Sam, lifts the Liam MacCarthy cup. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

“To be able to play and he struck his frees after the last match or two that the frees hadn’t gone well for him and (in the final) I don’t think he missed one so I was delighted for him.” 

To come off the bench and send over a point and share Sunday with his and wife Aisling’s two-year-old son Sam made number four all the more special for McGrath. 

“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. I suppose 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.” 

To see his younger brother John remind people of his worth in the blue and gold was satisfying too. 

“He's been very good for us this year. He's had a tough few years where he had been on (the team), he wasn't on, he was off, you know what I mean?

“But his club form has been unbelievable over the last five, I suppose even 10 years, but especially in the last five or six. I think the whole country is seeing that now, how good he's been over the last six months with Tipperary.” 

If Sunday was McGrath’s last time in a Tipperary jersey, it was a fitting finale for the 34-year-old. 

“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.” 

The decision on whether to return for an 18th season will be predicated on the mental demands more so than the physical. 

“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. I enjoyed every minute of it. And when you have an ending like this, it's hard not to enjoy it as well.

“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, you know what I mean? I'm no different to anyone else and when I'm 50 years of age, I'll still want to play. That's just the nature of it.”