John "Jobber" McGrath (1928 – 14 April 1980) was an
Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
sportsperson. He played
hurling
Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...
with his local club
Rickardstown and with the
Westmeath
"Noble above nobility"
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 =
, subdivis ...
senior inter-county team from 1950 until 1965. McGrath was later recognised as "one of the greatest players never to have won an
All-Ireland
All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) refers to all of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Ireland" is most frequently used to refer to sporting teams or events for the entire islan ...
medal".
Playing career
Club
McGrath played his club
hurling
Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...
with his local
Rickardstown club and won his first senior
county title in 1953. McGrath added to his collection in 1959 and 1963 when he captured two more county championship medals. He finished his playing career with
Lough Lene Gaels
Lough Lene Gaels (Irish: ''Gaeil Loch Léinn'') is a Gaelic Athletic Association club, based in Collinstown, County Westmeath, Ireland.
Club history
Lough Lene Gaels was founded as a hurling club late in 1969 as a result of an amalgamation betw ...
(who were an amalgamation between Collinstown, Fore, Glenidan and McGrath's club Rickardstown), winning a junior medal with the club in 1973.
Inter-county
McGrath first came to prominence on the inter-county scene with the
Westmeath
"Noble above nobility"
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 =
, subdivis ...
minor hurling team in the 1940s. In 1950 McGrath made his debut for the Westmeath senior team, beginning a fifteen-year inter-county career. During this era he enjoyed minimal success with the county as Westmeath were one of the minnows of the
Leinster Championship.
Provincial
McGrath also lined out with
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition, and won his sole
Railway Cup
The GAA Interprovincial Championship ( ga, An Corn Idir-Chúigeach) or Railway Cup (''Corn an Iarnróid'') is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Connacht, Leinster, Munster ...
medal in 1956 as Leinster defeated
Munster
Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...
.
References
* Corry, Eoghan, ''The GAA Book of Lists'' (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
Teams
{{DEFAULTSORT:McGrath, John
1928 births
1980 deaths
Rickardstown hurlers
Lough Lene Gaels hurlers
Westmeath inter-county hurlers
Leinster inter-provincial hurlers