Former teammates and colleagues look back at the brilliance of Patrick McBrearty

He deserved to win an All-Star - Paddy McGrath

A teammate at county level, Paddy McGrath is probably one of those in the best positions to sum up the talent of Patrick McBrearty as McGrath had to face him in training and also at club level when the players went back to their clubs.

“I wouldn’t have known Paddy too well until 2011 when he came in and played minor and senior at the same time. In my eyes he would have been seen as very young; he would have  been about four years younger than me at the time,” said McGrath.

“I do recall people talking about himself and Alan Lyons at the time, about being very good at that age group.

“Once he came into the county senior panel, he never looked back. He cemented his place on the team and became a fantastic servant to Donegal football.

“He was a big man and had big brutes of legs on him. He was able to ping the ball far. He had incredible accuracy and that was the big thing. Like when he took on the shot, nine times out of 10 she was going over. Paddy would probably say 10 times out of 10.

“He had tremendous confidence and listen, you needed that. At that age you really were thrown in at the deep end and there’s not too many players who can say that they played at 17.

“We kinda knew he would go on and play a massive part at county level.”

The two Paddys were not just teammates but they were also opponents, with McGrath having to mark him in training and in club matches.

“Why do you think he was so good,” laughs McGrath. “In my eyes back then we had one of the best full-forward lines in the country (McBrearty, Murphy and McFadden). Sure I would be saying ‘shure you’re marking the two McGees and myself all the time. You have to be good’.

“Listen, at training he was good for us and we were good for him. It’s like iron sharpening iron.

“I got jobs marking him at club level too and he was a nightmare then too. Paddy would be scoring heavy in club games and he would be a fella that would be targeted. I would be given the job but you needed help. If he got the supply he was a dangerous forward.

“He was good on the loop, a very intelligent footballer. He knew the angles to take and he had that from an early age.

“It’s sad to see him hang up the boots so early. But listen he knows his own body,” said McGrath, who said he had a lot of miles on the clock.

“He was the baby of the squad in 2012 and he’s retired now. There’s only Murphy left now.”

McGrath said he talked a lot to McBrearty when he was recovering from his own cruciate injury, taking advice because McBrearty had come through the process earlier.

“You couldn’t have a better teammate than Paddy. He was always in it for Donegal football and he was always trying to drive it. When I retired he was one of the bucks I really missed, even if he was a Kilcar man and I was an Ardara man. The two of us got on very well.

“If there was ever a player you wanted on the ball at the end of a close game, he was the man.

“He has a lot of success behind him with the Ulsters, playing for Ireland. He got the medals that he deserved. He never got the All-Star which he deserved which is hard to believe really. You would question the process. I think he deserved an All-Star because he was that good.

“He was as good as anything around for the 15 seasons he played for Donegal,” said McGrath.

“It is nice that he has finished at the top. I have no doubt if he could he would have kept it lit. Hopefully his injury isn’t too bad and he is able to play a little for the club. Even on half throttle he could get scores.”