Jamie McGrath set for debut international action

SOCCER Athboy man maintaining a hectic schedule

It's not very difficult locating where Jamie McGrath lives in Athboy. When you ring him to arrange an interview he gives you helpful, detailed directions. Those, along with the Eircode, make it a cinch to find the family home.

There's something else that, as McGrath points out with a chuckle, helps you identify the place. Before entering the driveway there is a sign that simply says 'Anfield House' with the emblem of a certain English club that is managed these days by a German. Now who could that be?

That sign is an indication of the importance of soccer in the McGrath household. Jamie is a big fan of Liverpool, always has been. He says it's something he got from his father Kevin, also a passionate follower of the Reds.

It was no surprise then that after Jamie played for current club St Mirren against Rangers in the Scottish Premiership last year he made a beeline for the opposition manager and Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard.

He wanted to shake the great man's hand. "I always thought Gerrard was a great player, he was always a hero of mine," he adds. That was McGrath showing his personable, affable side.

Last December the 24-year-old Athboy man displayed another trait when he fired home two goals for St Mirren in sensational 3-2 win against the mighty Rangers in the Scottish League Cup.

This was Jamie McGrath the professional footballer, doing the best job he could for his team; the true pro.

It was the same against Celtic, a club with a strong Irish connection. When St Mirren played the Hoops last January in Parkhead, McGrath played a big part in helping St Mirren secure a shock 2-1 win. Here again was a young man doing his job as best he could without fear or favour - or sentiment.

Those results helped to make the 2020/'21 season one of the best in the history of St Mirren FC. They finished seventh their highest placing in 32 years.

It was also a truly memorable campaign for McGrath who greatly enhanced his reputation as a player.

He ended up the campaign with 17 goals a massive return for a midfielder, with nine of those from penalties.

McGrath had such a good run he was named the St Mirren club 'player of the year' and the St Mirren Supporters Club 'player of the year.'

Not that it was all plain sailing. He was ill with Covid for a short time with the virus affecting practically the entire St Mirren squad at one stage. He recovered to have a memorable campaign.

The quality and consistency of McGrath's performances was reflected in the way he was called into the Irish senior squad by Stephen Kenny for forthcoming friendly games against Andorra and Hungary. The squad was only officially announced on Monday 24th May.

The next day, when Meath Chronicle travelled to Athboy to meet up with the player, the news was widely known.

All day there had been callers to the McGrath home, some bringing gifts or cards.

Phones had also been hopping and buzzing. Jamie, however, looks completely unfazed by all the fuss.

"It's unbelievable," said Brenda, Jamie's mother who was in the house to greet visitors with his grandmother Pauline and his aunt and godmother Emma-Jane.

When you call to the McGrath home you are immediately enveloped in an overflowing and genuine old-style Irish hospitality.

That kind of warmth, no doubt, has helped to give young Jamie the security and confidence needed to not only survive in the rough and tumble world of professional football but to thrive also.

The call up to the senior national squad was understandably a great event for the family, an occasion of real joy, but there certain sadness too because a hugely influential figure in Jamie McGrath's life wasn't there to share in it all. Last year his grandfather Tommy Ennis passed away. Tommy was involved in early soccer teams in Athboy.

"Tommy played hurling for Athboy and was not only my grandfather he was one of my best mates. It's coming up to his first anniversary. It's nice to know that hopefully, I'm doing him proud, he was a massive influence.

"I used to go up to him every Friday when I played for Dundalk and he'd always give me some piece of advice.

"He'd have a little go at me and say 'you must rattle the bag tonight' but sure I never would.

"I didn't get many goals then, now I can't stop scoring them. I know he's looking down on at me."

CAREER

Jamie McGrath played under-age soccer with the local club Athboy Celtic but pretty soon he was on the move, upwards and onwards, to Cherry Orchard and UCD for a time.

He was signed by St Patrick's Athletic and Dundalk playing for both clubs as a full-time professional footballer; something he always wanted to be.

As a teenager Jamie (who has one brother Craig who works with an investment firm in Toronto) had a chance to sign for Peterborough Utd, but his parents advised him to study for his Leaving Cert which he did before going on to acquire a degree in business management in Maynooth University.

He at least had that behind him as he pursued his career in soccer.

He was particularly successful with Dundalk under manager Stephen Kenny when honours such as a Premier title and an FAI Cup medal were garnered.

He also played for the Republic of Ireland at schools, u-19 and u-21 levels, all the time gaining vital experience.

Then St Mirren called with an offer. He signed for them in January 2020. There was a new contract on the table from Dundalk but the time seemed right to move; to try pastures new.

Throughout his career in professional football McGrath has been driven not so much by the quest for medals and glory. Instead he wants to be true to himself and the talent nature has given him.

"I don't want to look back and have regrets. You don't want to be thinking if only I went out and did this or did that.

"During the last lockdown I was thinking this is a great opportunity to get better, to become fitter, for when I return.

"You don't want to be thinking, Jeez, I wasted that lockdown when you could have improved 100 per cent in that amount of time.

"I think that's the mentality you have to have. If you have time to do gym sessions then just do it because you don't want to look back when you are 30 or 40 and be saying if only I did this or did that.

"I don't want to have any regrets. I don't want to think was I was lazy here and could have done things better. You just try and give it your all and see where it takes you."

He reads books on sports psychology and engages in exercises such as visualisation. He is also someone who studies diet and what effects certain foods will have on the body.

"I don't eat meat the day before a game or the day of a game. I would eat meat throughout the week then on Friday or Saturday I wouldn't touch it, I would just have quorn mince or chicken. It's something I've been reading about. It's hard on your body to digest meat so I find this new approach helps anyway."

SCHEDULE

McGrath lives close to the St Mirren ground in an area called Braehead with "five or six" other club players.

Dylan Connolly, who is from Johnstown, Navan, lives just around the corner.

McGrath says it greatly helps that his girlfriend - Fiona Whelehan who is also from Athboy - has been able to work remotely while based in Scotland. It all makes for a happy environment.

The schedule of a professional footballer is pretty full-on despite the perception that players have loads of free time.

"Matches are on a Saturday, I'm off on Sundays. You go in on a Monday morning have breakfast if you want, out on the pitch, back in for lunch, then a gym session in the afternoon.

"You get home about four or five in the evening. I'm off on a Wednesday, train on Thursday with a lighter session on Friday.

"If we have a match in midweek that has to be factored in as well."

There are clearly certain pressures that come with being a pro footballer but overall he feels he's blessed to be in job he loves; doing something he dreamed about doing when he was a youngster.

"It's still probably the best job in the world. As a kid you always wanted to become a professional footballer, I did anyway.

"You have to feel that sense of privilege, feel you are lucky because everyone in the school yard wanted to be a footballer.

"You have to think how lucky you are because it's everybody's dream."

Before we leave the warm hospitality of the McGrath homestead his aunt Emma-Jane produces a book Jamie had from his own childhood.

The name of it is "When I Grow Up I'm Going to Play for the Republic of Ireland.' He has already done that at under-age grade and may now do so at senior level.

The children's book reminds us, as we leave 'Anfield House' behind us, that it's possible in life to turn aspirations and hopes into reality. Dreams into reality.