McGraths complete unique double following Minor win
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A FATHER and son completed a unique double when the final whistle sounded in last Sunday's All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship final.
At left half back for victorious Kilkenny was Owen McGrath whose father Colin was fullback on the Carlow team that won the All-Ireland Minor B Hurling Championship back in 1981.
Young Owen hurled a fine game as well as contributing two exceptional points from long range as the Cats came from behind to beat Clare 2-10 to 0-14.
Proud Dad Colin, a native of Hanover in Carlow Town, won starred at full-back when the red, yellow and green beat Derry 3-9 to 0-6 to win their first All-Ireland minor B, the final played in Parnell Park the morning of the 1981 All-Ireland final in which Offaly made their famous breakthrough.
Colin, an Army man based in Kilkenny, played with Carlow Hurling Club, winning MHC medals at full-back in 1981 and 1982, the first half of the town's four-in-a-row. He also played senior with the club, scoring a hat-trick from full-forward in one of the first SHC games played on the league system.
Son Owen McGrath plays his club hurling with John Locke's (Callan), the home club of Pat Somers who captained Carlow to their first ever All-Ireland title, the Intermediate hurling triumph of 1962. Owen as a student in Kilkenny CBS also played in this years Leinster Senior A Colleges final, his side beaten by arch rivals, St Kieran's..
Colin, accompanied by his mother, was in Dr Cullen Park recently to watch his nephew Niall Swan star with Eire Og in their U-16 FC final victory over Tinryland.
Owen McGrath is the second boy with strong Carlow blood to win an All-Ireland minor medal with Kilkenny in recent years, joining Cathal Kenny of the 2008 side, he the son of Christy Kenny of Myshall's Naomh Eoin.
The 2010 Kilkenny minor team had another Carlow connection, panel member Cathal O'Neill - who was joint captain of the St Kieran's team that won the Leinster and All-Ireland Senior A Colleges title - a nephew of Coiste Na nOg Secretary Michael Doran.
- LEO MCGOUGH
