'You couldn’t beat days like this' - McGrath revels in county glory for Loughmore Castleiney

John McGrath was all smiles on Sunday evening as Loughmore Castleiney etched another remarkable chapter into their storied history, defeating Nenagh Éire Óg to retain the Tipperary senior hurling title.

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McGrath was once again central to the victory, hitting 1-5 in a hard-fought win that confirmed Loughmore’s status as the county’s dominant force.

Reflecting on the game shortly after the final whistle, McGrath admitted it was an evening where small margins made the difference.

“In the second half, I suppose it was kind of one team; we’d got a couple of early scores, maybe a bit of a fortuitous goal, and they came back at us,” he said. 

“Maybe something similar happened at the other end. But, you know, it was just about trying to limit mistakes and take the best options with the ball you could.”

It was a tense finish, with Nenagh pushing hard for goals in the closing stages. McGrath acknowledged that every score counted in a game where chances were at a premium.

“We had a couple of wides, and I had a couple of poor ones, and in the back of your mind, you’re thinking you’re going to need every one of them. And we really did,” he said. 

“They were going for goals at the end there when maybe one or two points earlier in the game was the difference in that. But it was just a battle, and the bodies are going to be very sore for a few days.”

Both sides were left to rue missed opportunities from placed balls, with McGrath noting how crucial those moments can be in a county final.

“There were a couple of missed frees at either end by both sides, and they’re probably something that, at this time of year, are extremely important,” he said. 

“It just went to show that every chance was going to be needed, and you just had to dust yourself off and go again because you couldn’t spend any time dwelling on that. There was a nice spread of scores for us today, which was huge.”

For McGrath and his teammates, the victory carried extra meaning, not just for the silverware, but for what it represents.

“Jeez, you couldn’t beat days like this. We’ve had a good couple of years now. I think that’s three in the last five years,” he said. 

“Before that, a lot of us had one from 2013, but we probably felt we hadn’t done ourselves justice in the meantime. To put back-to-back titles together here is something that’s never been done in the club in hurling, and that’s another massive step for us.”

That historic achievement wasn’t lost on the players, who embraced the pressure that came with defending their crown.

“It’s something that we spoke about a little bit, and probably something that, you know, there’s no point pretending isn’t there, because in the back of everyone’s mind, you know that you’re the defending champions,” McGrath said. 

“I think the most satisfying part of the whole year was being able to go out in pretty much every game where you’re expected, or favourites, to win, and to back that up. That’s probably the most pleasing part of it for the whole panel.”

For Loughmore Castleiney, the celebrations will be well earned. For McGrath, who once again delivered on the biggest stage, and considering what he achieved at intercounty level with Tipperary in July, you could sense that this was that little bit more special.

“You couldn’t beat days like this.”

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