The versatile Kate McGrath is back for her ninth season with the Waterford ladies.
The Kilrossanty Brickeys player has worn nearly every outfield jersey for the Déise since her introduction in 2015. So, where is her best position? "That's the million dollar question! I suppose I can bring a bit of everything to any position I'm asked to. Whatever position I'm put into, I'm happy to play. You want to be on that one to fifteen and if you're not, it is about offering something when you come in. I don't know if I have a favourite position or a best position. I'd say it's yet to be decided!"
She is one of the first names on the team sheet according to manager Pat Sullivan. "It's a credit to Kate that she can play in any position. It's hard when you're a forward marking Kate because she just wants to attack constantly and that kills forwards. When she is playing in the forward line, her defensive role is just super. Her vision is very good. Any day you go to pick a team, if Kate is fit, you have Kate on that team."
The 2015 All Ireland intermediate win and the 2019 Division 2 title rank as two highlights for McGrath in a white and blue jersey. "2015 was great. To get to Croke Park in your first year is something I probably didn't appreciate at the time. To go up the Hogan steps is a highlight for any player. The Division 2 win was great. It's something we probably weren't expected to do that year. Kerry and Armagh were in that division as well. To bring Waterford back up to Division 1 is something I'm very proud of."
Waterford travel to Armagh in Round 1 of the National League on Sunday. It's the first of five away trips for Sullivan's charges in the top flight. The Déise won three league games last season and McGrath has high hopes for 2024. "You want to go out and be successful. That's the goal of every team. We're no different. Other teams might look at where we ended up last year and say we don't have ambitions. I completely disagree with that. We're an ambitious group of girls, we want to get to the top and that's our goal for this year. Looking at the top teams in ladies football the last few years, we've played them all and we've put it up to all of them. I'm confident that we have a team that can compete with any team on any day."
Listen back to the full chat with Kate McGrath and Pat Sullivan from Friday's Lár Na Páirce show.
