Michael McGrath (hurler)

{{short description|Irish hurler}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2020}}

{{Infobox Gaelic games player

| code= Hurling

| image =

| name = Michael McGrath

| irish = Mícheál Mac Craith

| nickname = Hopper

| fullname = Michael James Mc Grath

| feet = 5

| inches = 10

| occupation = Salesman

| county = Galway

| province = Connacht

| club = Sarsfields

| cposition =

| clubs =

| clyears = 1980s-1990s

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 5

| clprovince= 3

| clallireland = 2

| counties = Galway

| icposition = Right wing-forward

| icyears = 1980s-1990s

| icapps(points) =

| icprovince =

| icallireland = 2

| nhl = 2

| allstars = 2

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date={{Birth date and age|1963|6|30|df=yes}}

| birth_place=Bullaun, County Galway

}}

Michael 'Hopper' McGrath (born 30 June 1963 in Bullaun, County Galway) is an Irish former sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Sarsfields and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s.{{cite web|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Galway/Profile.aspx|title=Galway GAA profile|publisher=www.hoganstand.com|accessdate=2010-05-02|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526185053/http://www.hoganstand.com/Galway/Profile.aspx|archivedate=2010-05-26}}

McGrath played for the Galway hurling team that was crowned All-Ireland Senior Hurling Champions in 1987 (defeating Kilkenny) and 1988 (defeating Tipperary.){{Cite web|url=http://www.galwaygaa.ie/index.php/en/senior-hurling|title=Roll of Honour Galway Senior Hurling|date=27 April 2016|website=GalwayGAA.ie|publisher=Galway GAA|access-date=27 April 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://connachttribune.ie/it-s-a-family-affair-for-galway-s-camogie-stars/|title=It’s a family affair for Galway’s camogie stars|last=Glennon|first=Stephen|date=11 Sep 2013|website=connachttribune.ie|publisher=Connacht Tribune|access-date=28 April 2016|quote=former Galway hurler Michael ‘Hopper’ McGrath, a member of the 1987 and 1988 All-Ireland winning team.}}

McGrath was captain of the Sarsfields team when Sarsfields captured their second{{Cite web|url=http://www.athenrygaa.ie/en/2012-24.html|title=Athenry GAA History of Club 1989|date=27 April 2016|website=Athenry GAA|publisher=St Mary's GAA Club Athenry|access-date=27 April 2016|quote=jubliant Sarsfields that collected the county cup for the second time.}} Galway Senior Hurling Championship title in 1989. On that occasion Sarsfields defeated Athenry in St.Brendans Park Loughrea, where the final score was Sarsfields 3-7, Athenry 1-8.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

McGrath helped Sarsfields to win the club's third senior county title in 1992. On that occasion Sarsfields defeated Carnmore in the county final reply, where the final score was Sarsfields 1-14, Carnmore 1-5.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

McGrath helped Sarsfields to retain the county title in 1993 (the club's fourth senior county title). On that occasion Sarsfields once again defeated Carnmore, where the final score was Sarsfields 1-10, Carnmore 0-4.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

Following after the senior county title wins of 1992 and 1993, and McGrath with Sarsfields won his first All-Ireland Senior Club Championship medal in spring of 1993. McGrath and Sarsfields repeated the same feat in 1994 when the Sarsfields club becomes the first hurling club to retain their All-Ireland Senior Club championship title.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

McGrath again played for Sarsfields when the club captured their fifth senior county title in 1995. On that occasion Sarsfields defeated Portumna where the final score was Sarsfields 0-17, Portumna 1-9.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

McGrath played on the 1997 Sarsfields them when the club captured their sixth senior county title in 1997. On that occasion Sarsfields defeated Clarinbridge where the final score was Sarsfields 0-11, Clarinbridge 1-6.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

McGrath is also the holder of two GAA GPA All Stars Awards awarded in 1987 and 1988.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}