A jolt was sent across Waterford hurling followers as the news broke last Tuesday night that Ken McGrath was to bow out of the inter county scene. His 46 minutes in Fraher Field on March 13 would be his last in the blue and white. As a model of consistency, an artist and a leader Ken McGrath could do no more to bring back Liam McCarthy in his 15 years of service. He had earned the right to choose his moment to depart the stage.
He excelled in every central outfield position from full back to full forward. In many cases versatility can be mistaken as a weakness but McGrath could master all of the posts he was placed at. And throughout he maintained the high standards he set for himself. His debut in 1996 as a teenager against Tipperary came without much fanfare with Waterford experiencing a famine a senior level. The feast was just around the corner however. The injection of youth that McGrath, Shanahan and Flynn brought mixed with the likes of Sean Cullinane, Stephen Frampton and Fergal Hartley and under the guidance of Gerald McCarthy the Waterford renaissance began. McGrath’s unforgettable goal in the 1998 league semi final against Limerick brought his side to the final that year, a huge leap into the limelight. Six championship games followed where McGrath stood toe to toe with the likes of Seanie McMahon, Vinnie Maher and Canice Brennan. Gerald’s team fell one point short to Kilkenny in the All Ireland semi final but now everyone knew that Waterford hurling was back and everyone knew about Ken McGrath. The remaining years of Gerald’s tenure were scarcely as memorable but things could have been different if McGrath didn’t break down early in the 2000 Munster championship game against Tipperary. Operating at full forward he skinned Philip Maher for three points before an ankle injury ended his involvement.
The majority of the highlights Waterford supporters will recall come from the Justin McCarthy years of 2002 to 2007. In 2002 he miraculously recovered from injury to come on as substitute in Thurles against Cork and fire over the winning point. He followed that up with a man of the match display against All Ireland champions Tipperary at centre forward to claim Waterford’s first Munster crown in 39 years. The Mount Sion man reinvented himself as a centre back in 2004 starting with the demolition of Clare in the Munster first round. As captain of the team that year the Munster final holds a special place as it does for every Waterford fan who was present that day. He rose to the occasion after John Mullane’s dismissal, once again battling to overcome Niall McCarthy in one of many duels which characterised Waterford and Cork games of the past decade. The 100 yard point and the last minute catch over Diarmuid O’Sullivan’s head make a permanent mark in the memory. In 2007 it was those Cork battles again that McGrath appeared to relish the most and he finished the season with a third All Star to his name. The following season Davy Fitzgerald plunged him into the troublesome full back slot. While it seemed to temporarily shore up the defence, a great talent was caged away from his comfort zone. The return to centre back for the All Ireland semi final against Tipperary was one of the crucial factors in one of the great days for Waterford hurling.
Hurling was kind to McGrath but it also threw obstacles in his path. Who will forget the 2006 All Ireland semi final against Cork when his long range free was kept at bay by Donal Og Cusack. The 2008 All Ireland final collapse to Kilkenny also hurt a man as proud as McGrath more than most. Injuries have also taken their toll and limited his game time for the last two seasons. Games that he once mastered he struggled to reach the pace of. His relationship with Davy Fitzgerald also appeared strained at times. He battled to prove himself once again despite rare appearances and his opposition to Davy’s new approach. His point against Clare in the Munster championship and his hat trick of late scores against Tipperary in 2010 showed that the fire still burnt within him to return to the glory days.
McGrath will finish as one of the greatest never to claim an All Ireland medal but while ultimate glory eluded him he proved more than a match for any of the stars of the past 20 years that did claim that honour. Ken McGrath earned the respect of the great Cork, Clare and Kilkenny teams of his era. Henry Shefflin, Eoin Kelly, Tommy Walsh, Sean McMahon, JJ Delaney and Brian Whelahan all rank as legends of the game but Ken McGrath’s name doesn’t look out of place on such a list.
Ken McGrath Stats
Championship debut: Munster championship 1996 v Tipperary
Championship appearances: 51
Championship scores: 1-89
Munster titles: 4 (2002, 2004, 2007, 2010)
National League: 1 (2007)
All Stars: 3 (2002, 2004, 2007)
2002 - Half forward
2004 - Midfield
2007- Centre back
Waterford captain 2001 & 2004
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