WHEN WATERFORD FACE Galway at Croke Park this Sunday, it won’t be the first time that respective managers Derek McGrath and Micheál Donoghue have been in opposite corners on All-Ireland final day.
Back in 1992, McGrath was at centre-forward for Waterford and Galway had Donoghue at wing-back in a minor final which ended in a 1-13 to 2-4 victory for the Tribesmen. Current Galway coach Francis Forde was also at midfield for his county that day.
“I marked him [Donoghue] in a ’92 All-Ireland minor final, a long time ago,” McGrath told us after Waterford’s recent semi-final win against Cork.
“I was on a player called Conor O’Donovan from Galway, he was a brilliant player, I was shifted over to Micheál, he was left-half back. And I was moved into the corner. I wasn’t taken off now but I don’t know how I wasn’t.”
Ahead of Sunday’s decider, the GAA have released footage of that minor final 25 years ago. Keep an eye out for Derek McGrath — in the yellow helmet — passing the referee’s old-fashioned head injury assessment after looking a little unsteady on his feet.
Marked Men! @Galway_GAA and @WaterfordGAA managers went head-to-head back in '92 but not quite like they will to this Sunday #GALvWAT pic.twitter.com/4PBcj5m3ec
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 30, 2017
On Sunday, McGrath will aim to guide Waterford to their first All-Ireland senior title since 1959. Ending a wait that has lasted since 1988 is the aim for Donoghue.
