Waterford legend Ken McGrath retires

Daysha

I really wished I didn't have to do this anytime soon, but it looks as if Ken has finally called it a day. Told Davy tonight apparently and should be confirmed in tomorrow's papers.

Very few words can do the man justice. An absolute hurling legend and one of the greatest players the county has ever produced.

MfMan

Good luck to him. Great player and a great warrior for the Deise. They won't see his likes again for awhile. Best thing he could do though - his knees can't be right and he was risking his longer term wellbeing by continuing.

ShamoBuc

Saw him play many a time and it has to be said he was a savage hurler. Big boots to fill for sure.

zxcvbnm12

what an operator!!he broke our hearts down in limerick many a time!himself and ciaran carey are the two best never to win an all ireland in my opinion

Kristopherus

A true Deise legend. Very best of luck to him.

KevIRL

A true legend of the game. Thanks for many many great memories

2 from a magnificent game in 2004

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw-1UmrG-kI

The catch to seal the game at 5:55

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK3i6G2lYx0

suitcasepink

His face said it all on Sunday in Dungarvan, he knew he wasnt getting back to full form..
Hard to have anything but good words for him, brilliant hurler always gave it his all in the various positions that he had to play in and such a nice fella too.

Really wouldnt have thought Sunday would be the last time Id see him with the Waterford jersey on.. Weird thought

Cake Man

Disappointing alright, but not surprising I'd have to say. Ya just kinda knew he wasn't going to reach the same heights as the late 90's/early 00's and was struggling for a while now, the injuries just never went away. I'm sure he'll be involved in the set-up in some way.

Thanks for all the memories Ken.

STIG83

Another legend gone

Daysha

I think for all those iconic moments and images, one of his best if not the best performance I ever saw him give was the AI semi-final against Tipp in 08. He had played the last few games at full back and obviously went out to prove a point, and my god he was absolutely everywhere. I don't think he was ever the same player after that day with injuries starting to take its toll after the AI final, and even though he never won the one cup he deserved he still played an absolutely immense part to help us get there.

KevIRL

The moment for me was the point to win the Munster semi final v Cork in 2002, epic

Cake Man

KevIRL wrote: »

The moment for me was the point to win the Munster semi final v Cork in 2002, epic

Yeah, off the bench in the p!ssing rain in Thurles with a sling nearly still around his arm and got the winning point into the Killinan end. He'll be gone but never forgotten.

insight_man

Daysha wrote: »

I really wished I didn't have to do this anytime soon, but it looks as if Ken has finally called it a day. Told Davy tonight apparently and should be confirmed in tomorrow's papers.

Very few words can do the man justice. An absolute hurling legend and one of the greatest players the county has ever produced.

Is he the best ever or what. Any other contenders. Who would you vote for

Enormous respect for Ken. He owes Waterford hurling nothing and what a tragedy he never won an All Ireland medal. Farewell and best of luck in retirement Ken

tippspur

Great Hurler.

Daysha

insight_man wrote: »

Is he the best ever or what. Any other contenders. Who would you vote for

I can't speak for the teams of 48 or 59, but in my lifetime yes he was the absolute best in the county. Browne, Flynn, Shanahan and Mullane all have their merits, but Ken formed the backbone of the team for the best part of 10 years. It's easy to look at the 04 Munster final, but it was barely 2 years before that he started the same final in the forwards and scored 7 points from play - a game we wouldn't have even played in if it weren't for his last minute point against Cork (which he only played 10 minutes of because of a serious shoulder injury).

You could go on and on about the games he's played a crucial role in but in the end of the day when he was on form, there was nobody better.

nkay1985

I'm devastated to hear this news tonight. Ken has been such an enormous part of the Waterford teams we've known and loved. Obviously we've done without him at his best for a while now but Ken McGrath at 75% was still better than most inter county players in the country.

Daysha wrote: »

I can't speak for the teams of 48 or 59, but in my lifetime yes he was the absolute best in the county. Browne, Flynn, Shanahan and Mullane all have their merits, but Ken formed the backbone of the team for the best part of 10 years.

Have to agree with that. A superb talent. Natural hurler. Never gave anything but his all. Feels like a part of Waterford hurling has died tonight.

Pride Fighter

I'm sad to see him go. He was an absolute warrior on the pitch, one of the best players of the past decade. An absolute legend who will be missed not only by the Deise but the wider hurling world.

daftdave

sad to hear he has retired , legend of the game and has always been a fantastic ambassador for waterford hurling , i feel privileged to have seen him play at his peak for many years.

fricatus

A towering presence on the field - a legend.

With a bit of luck he'll be involved somehow in the setup in the future, but whatever he does, I wish him well and thank him for all the great days out and special moments he gave us Déise supporters.

puzl

ah lads.. my heart sank this morning when I heard the news.. he'll be missed... what a legend... one of the best to ever play for the white and blue

cremeegg

one of the all time greats. He deserved his AI medal.

deise4ever

Ken has been such an outstanding presence on the field that is so hard to believe that we won't see him in the Blue and White again. He always gave it his all and all Waterford owes him a debt of gratitude. Will we ever forget the jubiliation of the point he scored in the Munster Final in Cork in 2004. We have won a lot of matches since then but that point seemed to herald in great years for the Deise. He will always be remembered and respected.

big toenails

Good man Ken , you were daycent boy.

comeraghs

One of the greats, Thanks for the memories Ken

thesultan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GvXd2cRmBU

Diabhal Beag

Shame he never got that All-Ireland he deserved.

deisedude

What a man! A few of my other favourite Ken moments apart from 04 would have to be him destroying Philly Maher and Tipp even with his ankle in bits. In 2007 in the quarter final against Cork when he somehow miracuously catches the sliotar running backwards. My last memory of Ken will be of him coming on against Tipp last year and showing the skill and panche we badly were missing. A true legend of the game

flahavaj

What a hurler. Was very saddened to read this in the paper this morning. He was one of the finest I ever saw at fielding a high ball. A true warrior and his skill is deminstrated in the fact that he excelled in so many different positions on the pitch.

Waterford might produce hurlers as good as Ken McGrath in the future, but few if any will be better. Thanks for the memories.

deisedude

On the RTE website there is an interview of Ken with Damien Tiernan about his decision for anyone who is interested

flahavaj

deisedude wrote: »

On the RTE website there is an interview of Ken with Damien Tiernan about his decision for anyone who is interested

Poor aul Ken and he in bits. Hard to watch.

Cake Man

Came across as very genuine and open about it. You can see he's gutted about it but also feels happy that he has made the right decision to call it a day.