Ten years after he was diagnosed with cancer, Noel McGrath stood on Croke Park’s pitch once more, this time to deliver the final score of the game as Tipperary were crowned All-Ireland champions.
It was a moment loaded with pride and emotion, as Noel, who learned he had testicular cancer in April 2015 and underwent surgery just four days after his diagnosis, entered the All-Ireland final in the 60th minute for his 79th Championship appearance.
And amazingly, it was he who struck the last point of the game as Tipp sealed a famous win over Cork, their first All-Ireland final meeting ever, and Tipperary’s first championship win since 2019.
With arms raised and a roar of celebration, Noel soaked in the moment, which marked a decade of resilience, recovery, and relentless dedication distilled into a single score.
Noel was one of three McGrath brothers on the panel, with younger brothers John starting at full-forward and Brian joining him on the bench. Their father, Pat McGrath, who also won an All-Ireland in 1989, admitted Sunday brought a different kind of nerves.
The father-of-three told GAA.ie: ‘It’s a nerve-wracking day, if you want to know the truth of it, you’re concerned about them all being okay.’
However, it was clear the hurling trio were more than okay on the day as they shared a touching moment on the field, lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup alongside Noel’s young son Sam.
A videographer caught their embrace, a frozen moment of unfiltered joy that’s destined to become a treasured McGrath family heirloom, or a brilliant photo for the fridge at the very least!
Fans of the trio took to the comment section of the sweet video shared by RTÉ’s social media account, with one user exclaiming: ‘That’ll be one proud Mammy of those boys!!’
Another penned: ‘What a picture to look back on in years to come…. Three brothers and a son/nephew….’
Former Cork goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack spoke movingly about Noel’s journey in the buildup to the match, gushing: ‘Ten years ago that man was diagnosed with testicular cancer, and everybody within the hurling world would have been given a shock by it.
‘Ten years later, he is back here and is one of the main people with two brothers playing. What an inspiration him and his family are for hurlers all over the country,’ he concluded.
The McGraths are a family steeped in sporting excellence, and together, they’ve created memories to last a lifetime. What a trio!
