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In this interview, Sean McGrath discusses the significance of Kerry FC’s win over Shelbourne, his responsibilities as the club’s captain and his commitment to the team on and off the pitch.
Early Life and Youth Career
Born on 15 October 2002 in Ballyduff, North Kerry, Sean McGrath’s football journey began close to home with the Kerry Academy.
He joined the academy in 2017, representing the U15 team before making the move to neighbouring club Limerick FC a year later, where he continued his development with the U17 side.
McGrath later joined Cork City’s academy in 2018, progressing through the club’s youth system and eventually reaching the U19 team, remaining with the Rebels until 2021.
Senior Career
Sean McGrath’s first taste of senior football came in 2020 when he featured in two Munster Senior Cup matches for Cork City. He played in the semi-final victory over Midleton, where Cork secured a 3-2 win, before featuring in the final against Rockmount, which ended in a 2-0 defeat after extra time.
The following season brought further involvement with the first team, as the Kerry native was included in Colin Healy’s senior squad for two First Division fixtures. He was named on the bench against Wexford in a 0-0 draw on 16 July and Galway United in a 3-0 victory on 29 October.
However, with limited opportunities at senior level, the midfielder made just two appearances for Cork City, both coming in the Munster Senior Cup during the 2020 campaign.
Looking for more regular first-team football, McGrath joined First Division rivals Cobh Ramblers in 2022. The move proved to be an important step in his career, as he made 27 league appearances and also featured in the FAI Cup. He finished the season with two goals and two assists, with all four goal contributions coming in the First Division.
The midfielder returned to his home county in 2023, joining the newly formed Kerry FC ahead of their first season in the League of Ireland.
Since then, Sean has become one of Kerry FC’s most important players at Mounthawk Park, making 135 appearances across all competitions, scoring 22 goals and providing 19 assists. Those figures represent the highest appearance, goal and assist totals he has achieved for any club in his career.
A major milestone arrived in 2025 when Sean McGrath was announced as Kerry FC captain. For the midfielder, becoming captain of his hometown club was a proud moment and a reflection of his journey throughout the game.
Although experienced defender Kilian Cantwell took over the captaincy ahead of the 2026 season, the midfielder regained the armband following Cantwell’s departure in June 2026, once again taking on the responsibility of leading Kerry FC.
The Interview
Starting off the interview, I asked Sean McGrath about being part of the team’s memorable victory over Shelbourne.
The Kerry FC captain described it as a “massive win” for the club and felt that he and his teammates were the “deserved winners” of the tie. He praised the performance of the squad, describing the players as “unbelievable” on the night and highlighting the energy shown throughout another important cup occasion.
Looking ahead, I asked Sean about the team’s mentality moving forward and what the squad hopes to achieve for the remainder of the season.
He explained that the focus within the group is to “take it game by game” and give everything to win each match they play, rather than looking too far ahead.
My next question focused on his role as Kerry FC captain and the honour and responsibility that comes with leading his hometown club.
The Ballyduff native explained that it is a “massive honour and privilege to captain my home club”, adding that he has been part of Kerry FC since the beginning of the club’s journey. He spoke about his pride in representing the team and his county, while trying to lead by “doing the right things” both on and off the pitch.
McGrath also praised his teammates, saying he could not ask for a better group and describing the squad as a “tight-knit group”.
Every player has their own pre-match routines, and I was interested to learn more about what the Kerry FC captain does before each game.
He explained that his routine is “the same every game day”, describing it as “quite boring and repetitive”, but believes it helps him prepare and build confidence. He explained that he wakes up at the same time, eats the same pre-match food, and usually has a nap during the day.
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Before walking out for warm-ups, McGrath focuses on staying as calm and relaxed as possible.
Finally, the captain discussed his personal goals for the remainder of the season.
On a personal level, Sean hopes to “chip in” with more goals and assists before the end of the campaign, while continuing to help the team in any way possible.
A huge thank you to Sean McGrath for taking the time to answer the questions. Wishing him and Kerry FC the very best of luck for the remainder of the season.
