Martin McGrath
Encyclopedia
Martin McGrath is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Fermanagh
county team and for his club St Joseph's Ederney
.
McGrath's career highlight was when he won an All Star in 2004 . He has also won a MacRory Cup
with St. Michael's College Enniskillen
, an intermediate championship with his club, an All-Ireland B Championship with Fermanagh
and a Railway Cup
with Ulster
. He has picked up 4 Ulster Personality of the Months awards as well as the 2004 and 2008 Irish News Ulster GAA Personality of the Year. He also played as Fermanagh
narrowly failed to beat Armagh
in the 2008 Ulster Football final and has represented Ireland twice in the International Rules
series against Australia. He has captained Queen's University Belfast to two Sigerson Cup
finals but has lost both.
McGrath has fought through serious many injuries during his career. In 2007 he fractured his skull when he was involved in a collision with a JCB. In 2008 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer
yet delayed his surgery until Fermanagh were knocked out of that years Championship.
He is the current captain of the Fermanagh
Senior Football team.
Fermanagh GAA
The Fermanagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Fermanagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Fermanagh inter-county teams-History:...
county team and for his club St Joseph's Ederney
Ederney
Ederney or Ederny is a small village and townland in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 554. Ederney lies in the Glendarragh River Valley close to Lower Lough Erne and Kesh. It is from Belfast, over from Dublin and about 16 miles from both Omagh and...
.
Playing career
He is primarily a midfielder but is also known to play full forward for his club. He is noted for his fielding ability and surging runs from deep. He was introduced into the county panel by John Maughan in 2000.McGrath's career highlight was when he won an All Star in 2004 . He has also won a MacRory Cup
MacRory Cup
The MacRory Cup is an inter-college Gaelic football tournament in Ulster. It is staged every year with the stipulation that players must be under eighteen-and-a-half at the start of the tournament...
with St. Michael's College Enniskillen
St. Michael's College Enniskillen
St Michael's College is a Roman Catholic boys' grammar school located in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland.It is named after St Michael the Archangel....
, an intermediate championship with his club, an All-Ireland B Championship with Fermanagh
Fermanagh GAA
The Fermanagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Fermanagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Fermanagh inter-county teams-History:...
and a Railway Cup
Interprovincial Championship
The Interprovincial Championship or Railway Cup is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competetitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Munster, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster teams are composed of the best players from the various counties in the province...
with Ulster
Ulster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
. He has picked up 4 Ulster Personality of the Months awards as well as the 2004 and 2008 Irish News Ulster GAA Personality of the Year. He also played as Fermanagh
Fermanagh GAA
The Fermanagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Fermanagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Fermanagh inter-county teams-History:...
narrowly failed to beat Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
in the 2008 Ulster Football final and has represented Ireland twice in the International Rules
International rules football
International rules football is a team sport consisting of a hybrid of football codes, which was developed to facilitate international representative matches between Australian rules football players and Gaelic football players....
series against Australia. He has captained Queen's University Belfast to two Sigerson Cup
Sigerson Cup
The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
finals but has lost both.
McGrath has fought through serious many injuries during his career. In 2007 he fractured his skull when he was involved in a collision with a JCB. In 2008 he was diagnosed with testicular cancer
Testicular cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system.In the United States, between 7,500 and 8,000 diagnoses of testicular cancer are made each year. In the UK, approximately 2,000 men are diagnosed each year. Over his lifetime, a man's risk of...
yet delayed his surgery until Fermanagh were knocked out of that years Championship.
He is the current captain of the Fermanagh
Fermanagh GAA
The Fermanagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Fermanagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Fermanagh inter-county teams-History:...
Senior Football team.