SILVER LINING FOR MCGRATH

IT'S hard to imagine life being much better for Noel McGrath right now.

- By PAT NOLAN

With his fourth All-Ireland this year, he became the first Tipperary hurler to reach that mark since 1965.

There are only two Premier men still with us that have more.

Unlike his previous All-Irelands, he was able to share this one with his two-year-old son, Sam.

Earlier this month, his wife Aisling gave birth to Sam's sister, Aoibhín, who generously gifted her brother a cement-mixer.

"When he was born, bringing him to Croke Park was something I always thought would be a lovely thing to do and hoped for but we hadn't been getting to Croke Park so you were wondering if you would ever be able to do it," he says.

"But the way the whole year turned out and to have him there both days in Croke Park was great. I suppose he won't remember being out on the field or in the dressing room but myself and Aisling will. We have the photos to show him in the years to come and they're great memories."

Tomorrow, McGrath will bid for a 10th senior county medal with Loughmore-Castleiney, his fifth in hurling, as they joust with Éire Óg Nenagh for the Dan Breen Cup.

The weekend started with McGrath named as the Gaelic Writers' Association's 2025 Hurling Personality of the Year, supported by Dalata Hotel Group.