He's hurler of the year but past disappointments still driving John McGrath
Tipperary Player John McGrath pictured with Oisin Kelly's Mother Sinead and father Brendan at Croke Park to launch the Irish Blood Transfusion Services 'Every Drop Counts ' campaign, inspired by Oisin, the young Carlow hurler who passed away from bone cancer in 2023. Pic: Brian McEvoy
Hurler of the Year John McGrath has insisted that his motivation for 2026 will be very straightforward; to simply play games.
McGrath's second coming in a Tipp jersey was among the hurling highlights of the year, overcoming a couple of injury interrupted years, and a dip in form, to win his third All-Ireland medal.
More than that, Tipp wouldn't have done it without the 7-16 he contributed - making him the Championship's joint top scorer from play - and he ended up starting all eight of their Championship games, netting in four of them.
Back at Croke Park for the launch of The Irish Blood Transfusion Service's 'Every Drop Counts' campaign, McGrath was still in decompression mode after a Munster club campaign with Loughmore-Castleiney that lasted until last Sunday week.
He acknowledged that while Tipp have resumed collective training, he is 'looking forward to a couple of weeks' grace and some badly needed downtime.
But the 31-year-old insisted he still plans on playing 'a decent part' in the National League having been 'frustrated' by just a single start in the 2025 Division 1A campaign.
"After the year just gone, it might seem a bit difficult (to be motivated) but I can still very freshly remember the previous couple of years too when I played very little," said McGrath. "So whether it's League or Championship, I just want to be playing. I just want to be playing games, it's as simple as that.
"We'll all be training away from late this year, early next year, and you're training to play those games, that's what you're aiming towards. I understand where you're coming from, asking about motivation, and maybe different players do have different motivations, but I'd certainly much rather be playing than looking in at them."
McGrath laid out his timeline of frustration, which stretched back to a serious Achilles injury suffered in 2022.
"I ruptured my Achilles against Clare that year, then I played the first round of the Munster Championship the following year against Clare, started that match, and didn't start one for the rest of that year, or 2024," said McGrath. "When you lay it out like that...look, it goes back to what we were saying a minute ago, I just want to play games. And I know there's only a certain amount of years you have left at this, so you just want to be out there."
McGrath's involvement with Loughmore-Castleiney in the provincial club hurling campaign meant he missed out on the Tipp team holiday to South Africa.
"I think five of us missed it, myself and the brothers, Noel and Brian, and Seamus Kennedy and Peter McGarry were playing football with Clonmel on the Saturday as well so were needed," he said. "So we missed out on the trip to Cape Town. It would have been well worth it if we'd got the win with the club."
McGrath may yet be fixed up with some sort of holiday.
"We'll have to negotiate something," he smiled. "Look, they'll get in touch with us. It has been mentioned already, I think they'll get in touch with us over something. We'll have to get someone good in our corner for that one!"
Tipp are under six weeks out from their first competitive game of 2026, against Waterford in the Munster Hurling League. They'll also play Kerry in Group A.
Beyond that, and playing regularly in the League, McGrath said that winning another Munster medal will be a target.
"Yes, that's one," he nodded. "There are a lot of lads who don't have a Munster medal. It's something that we haven't really come close to winning in a good few years now."
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