Doing it for the Parishes of Loughmore & Castleiney – Liam McGrath

Liam McGrath can now be deemed as a lucky general.

In 2011, he had the honour of climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand at Croke Park to accepting the Tom Markham Cup after Tipperary’s amazing victory over Dublin in the All-Ireland Minor Football final.

Thirteen years on, he made the same walk, this time up the O Rian Stand in Semple Stadium last Sunday to accept the Dan Breen Cup on the behalf of his Loughmore/Castleiney team, joining Eamonn Sweeney (1988), Johnny Gleeson (2007), and his cousins Ciaran (2013) and Noel (2021) as senior championship winning captains.

“Any time you are captain when you win something it is special,” he admitted.

“Dan Breen is the one cup everyone wants at the start of the year. To get the honour of being captain as well is special and to go up and represent the boys and the parishes of Loughmore and Castleiney. You can pick anyone from that team to be captain. It’s a privilege and something I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

It made up for what was a disappointing game personally for the Loughmore skipper who didn’t have many possessions in the game, with the crowded middle third ensuring both inside forward lines were starved of possession for long spells.

McGrath was called ashore in the 54th minute and could only watch on helplessly as Toomevara threatened to snatch victory late on.

“The middle third was a war zone for the full sixty-plus minutes,” he added.

“Toome are young, but they are physical, and we knew that coming in it would be a war between the two 45’s and that is how it turned out.

“We probably had that bit more experience than Toome which probably stood to us for a finish.

“When they got the goal to bring it back to two, we went straight up and got a goal which clinched the game because when they got the goal their tails were up at that stage. That second goal proved vital at the finish.”

He added: “All year, the subs have been coming in, Ciaran McGrath, Ciaran McCormack, Paul & Darragh McCahey, Eoin O’Connell, that is one thing when you bring on players they need to make a contribution and in fairness, anyone that has come on has had a positive impact on the game which is what you need to win Dan Breen.

“We have a panel of 22-23 players which we can use and the way the game has gone, that is what you need.”

The victory gives Loughmore/Castleiney the opportunity to compete for a second Munster club title with their previous success coming back in 2007. Twice since in 2013 and 2021 they have come a cropper at the first hurdle to Na Piarsaigh and Ballygunner respectively in controversial circumstances, with the potential to have a crack at one of those sides in a provincial semi-final on November 17th.

“We were young back in 2013”, McGrath recalls. “In 2021 when we went down to Ballygunner, we were in a great spot, a few small things went against us. We put up a fair fight that day and we have the chance again to put things right, but before that we will be focusing on next Sunday and win the football and keep the momentum going.”