McGrath began his career with Dublin club
Home Farm before moving to England to join
Blackburn Rovers in August 1954. He made 269 Football League appearances over the next ten years at
Ewood Park. and played with players including
Peter Dobing,
Derek Dougan and
Mike England. He helped the club win promotion to the First Division and appeared in the 1960
FA Cup Final where he scored an own goal in a 3–0 defeat to Wolves. In March 1966 he signed for
Bradford Park Avenue where he made 50 league appearances before becoming player manager at
Bangor City F.C. He also played 22 times for the
Republic of Ireland national team and made one appearance for the
Republic of Ireland B team in 1957. He later lived in Blackburn and retired after 24 years working for Thwaites Brewery. McGrath died on 18 April 2025, at the age of 89. ==Honours==