He has been a mainstay of the Tipperary senior hurling team since 2009, having made more than 60 appearances in a blue and gold jersey in the course of a career that has spanned three decades.
And as he prepares to play in his 15th championship season, Noel McGrath’s motivation and enthusiasm for the fray are showing no signs of waning.
As captain, the Loughmore/Castleiney player will lead the team into this season’s championship, beginning with Sunday’s opening game against Clare at Cusack Park in Ennis (4pm).
“I just love, it to be honest. People ask that at different times, how do you stay going, and going in training, and getting yourself going every year,” he says.
“But the buzz of playing never goes, and when you’re gone then you’re probably looking to get it back, so that’s just what keeps me going.
“For as long as I’m able and as long as I’m wanted, I will stay going and stay competing and I’ll do the same with my club. I just love playing, and you get these moments at times when you’re either training or playing where you get a good feeling of why you enjoy it, and especially now at this time of the year.
“There’s no better time than the three, four or five weeks leading into the championship. The evenings have gotten longer, I know it’s different maybe than what it was six, seven or eight years ago, it’s starting a bit earlier. But at the end of April the weather will still be picking up and the ground will be getting that bit harder.
“It’s what I grew up wanting to do and I’m going to do it for as long as I’m wanted or as long as I’m able as well, and as long as I’m contributing and helping lads whatever way that is, whether it’s playing or not playing. Whatever way it is, I’ll do that as long as I can.
“That dream to stay chasing, to win trophies and compete for Tipperary, as long as I still have that I’m going to stay competing as best I can”.
Tipp will be eager to make amends for last year’s disastrous campaign, when they finished pointless at the bottom of the table in Munster.
“Last year was a huge disappointment for us all, as a whole group, as players and manager, the whole lot, and people in Tipperary were disappointed as well.
“We lost all our matches in Munster last year. For us as players that hurts, any day you go out you’re representing Tipperary and you don’t like losing. We’re heading into this year again and obviously there are five teams in Munster and everybody’s trying to win every day they go out.
“Last year might have a bearing on it for motivation for some lads, but in other ways it (last year) is gone. It’s in the past and you have to move on and look forward to this year, and that’s what we’ve been doing all this year, is looking forward and trying to improve.
“And there are a lot of lads who weren’t involved last year and who are there this year and they’re driving on and all looking for spots (on the team) as well. There’s good competition there and hopefully we’ll get off to the start that we’re looking for”.
As Tipp brace themseves for a trip to the tight, atmospheric ground that is Cusack Park, are there any pointers that they’re giving to players who haven’t previously played championship hurling there?
“From growing up and watching matches it’s what you want to do. You want to go and play in front of full houses, in front of big crowds. I think that’s what’s probably going to happen in Ennis, you’ll have a big crowd and hopefully there will be a good Tipp crowd there as well.
“That’s what the Munster championship has been over the years, it’s what I grew up watching, it’s what I want to play in and what everybody wants to play in.
“We’re looking forward to it. It’s a test of a lot more than just hurling when you have a big occasion like this. That’s what you look forward to as a player, and it’s part of the reason why you play, is to test yourself in situations like this.
“There are a lot of lads on the panel who have played there and some who haven’t, they might have played down there at minor and Under 21.
“It’s enjoyable when you think of what you have to look forward to, big occasions like that.
“We all know during Covid there were times we were playing with nobody at the matches, so the more the better.
“The better atmosphere nearly even creates better games as well, it improves the whole thing. We hope every match this year, including the one in Ennis, that they’ll have as big a crowd as possible”.
