Ken McGrath’s injury time catch over Diarmuid O’Sullivan is one of the most iconic moments from the classic 2004 Munster final between Waterford and Cork. The Mount Sion man captained the fourteen men to the Déise’s seventh provincial title that afternoon.
"I knew it was a ball I had to win. It was a grand catch; it wasn’t an unbelievable catch. It was a good catch in the circumstances because if the ball went through me, it was a score. Thankfully, I grabbed it and I knew straight away I had to win a free. I knew I was going to get a free because normally you do in those circumstances. I went at Timmy McCarthy and went down easily enough and won a free! It was a brilliant feeling knowing that the game was up. It was one of the best feelings I had playing.”
It was extra special for the McGrath clan as Ken’s father Pat lost Munster finals to the Rebels in 1982 and 1983. “To me, they were always the benchmark. Even when we were young, starting off, the Cork lads always looked well in their gear and we were always hoping to get into that bracket. They had the most All Irelands before that brilliant Kilkenny team came along. To me, they were always the kingpins. 2004 felt big because we wanted to prove that we weren’t a flash in the pan.”
He enjoyed the celebrations that followed. “Monday was a good day!”
Listen back to the full interview with Ken McGrath from Lár Na Páirce Hurling In The Years with thanks to PWC Waterford.
https://www.spreaker.com/user/wlrfm/kenpart1mp3
