Hibs game breaker aiming for Easter Road repeat against Hearts as McGrath makes 'more to play for' claim
Former Aberdeen and St Mirren star knows ‘what everybody wants’ as Hibs hold Hearts title hopes in hands
Started one, won one. Scored one and bagged an assist in a Man of the Match performance. Easy, this Edinburgh derby lark, isn’t it?
Hibs playmaker, game breaker and all-round threat Jamie McGrath laughs at the odd-but-impressive stat against his name as he admits: "Yeah, hopefully I can keep it going like that!”
The former Aberdeen and St Mirren midfielder, whose contribution to two derby defeats at Tynecastle was restricted to substitute appearances as he worked his way back from injuries, was the absolute stand-out when Hibs flew into a 3-0 lead over their city rivals at Easter Road back in December. In a game that eventually ended in a 3-2 win for the home side, courtesy of two late goals for the visitors, the Irishman – who opened the scoring after just three minutes – further enhanced his reputation as a brilliant summer signing.
McGrath sparked wild Easter Road scenes with early derby goal
He’s a big game player, certainly. But for those niggling injuries, he’d be a strong contender for pick of the bunch in a stop-start season for Hibs.
Part of that is because McGrath is a selfless team-mate, always willing to make the support run or fill a gap. It’s a philosophy that extends to his ambitions for this game.
Shrugging aside any talk of grabbing the spotlight, he said: “No, as long as we come out to the other side of it with a win on Sunday, that's all anyone cares about. It doesn't matter how it comes or who contributes, just as long as you come out the other side with the win. That's all everybody wants.
“Like I said, it's by no means going to be an easy game. They're top of the league for a reason. But we've shown what we can do in spells this season. Hopefully, we can bring it on Sunday.
“I think all of us kind of thrive on this sort of fixture. You saw it in the European games earlier on in the year. I think the big kind of atmosphere is what we enjoy and what we thrive on.
“I think if you can't get yourself up for these games, you may as well call it a day. It's a really exciting week for us."
McGrath provoked mirth as he revealed that he’d been cajoled and cat-called by supporters in Tesco during the build-up to this weekend’s game. Is that something he’d ever experienced at a previous club?
"Yeah, probably for the wrong reasons!” he declared, with a grin. “But I think there's a general buzz around the city.
"Even going for a coffee and stuff around the place, you'll get a few thumbs up or a: 'Make sure you win on Sunday.' Stuff like that. It's all good-natured.
"It's great that there’s so much interest in the game. Obviously, Hearts are having a really good season this season. It's great for the league as a whole."
David Gray’s men chasing European ambition
Growing up in County Meath, McGrath was immersed in the often frantic nature of football rivalry at a young age, revealing: "Yeah, I think it's kind of drummed into us early on. Athboy Celtic v Trim Celtic was our local derby at underage.
"You're always watching derbies on TV as well. Celtic-Rangers, Hibs-Hearts, Liverpool-United, stuff like that.
“With this match, obviously, there's a build-up before the game, you're going through on the bus, you see the flares and stuff like that, which is a nice little feeling.
"Overall, it's a really good atmosphere. It's just one you want to go out and hopefully come out the other side.
"You could argue that Hearts have more to play for, but we have to try and get fourth as well. I think the league this season, especially in the top six, everybody has something to play for, which makes it kind of special this season.
"We know we have to go into every game trying to take maximum points because Falkirk are on our tail, we're trying to catch Motherwell. There's a lot at stake up top. I think it's actually turned into a great run-in."
As many a supporter has made clear, stopping Hearts from winning the league is the No. 1 priority for Hibs fans. What happens after that is very much of secondary concern.
As players, though, there is an obvious desire to climb the table. Not least because these guys want to be the first Hibs team to secure back-to-back European qualification in half a century.
"Yeah, that's where you want to be,” said McGrath, who kicked off this year’s UEFA adventure with a stunning early set-piece strike away to mighty Midtjylland back in July, the 29-year-old adding: “That's where we kind of have a group target at the start of the season.
"We still have a really good chance, but we have to capitalise on our home games. There's no better opportunity to do that on Sunday.
"You never know how results can go, but it can turn very quickly in these kind of block of games. We have to try and take as many points as we can.
“With this game, you come out, you feel the atmosphere building in the warm-up, even all week in training. It gives you a little edge going into the game.
"We all have to be right on it from minute one. We have to start well like we did the last time, in the last home game. If we do that, we can give ourselves a really good opportunity.
"By no means is it going to be an easy game. No Edinburgh derby ever is.
"We have to earn it on the day. We'll hopefully come out the other side, like I said, with the win."