Humility in the face of adoration

You're the most popular player ever to play for Ireland, have you any explanation for that yourself?

"Who, me?"

Yeah.

"Mmm," said the most popular and most unassuming player ever to play for Ireland.

"Probably because he was the best," suggested Mick McCarthy, sitting beside McGrath as he spoke to the press after his testimonial at Lansdowne Road yesterday.

"No, I wouldn't have said that," insisted McGrath. "I think a lot of people see some of the flaws that I have in themselves, and stuff like that. I keep getting forgiven for certain things that I do, probably too often. I think that's what it is, because I certainly don't see myself as being the best Irish player - Liam Brady, Ronnie Whelan, Johnny Giles, I think they'd be a bit insulted if you started claiming things like that."

McCarthy expressed his delight at the sight of 39,000 people turning up to pay homage to McGrath at Lansdowne Road. McGrath himself seemed overwhelmed by the response of the Irish public. He knows they love him, but his charming humility prevents him from understanding why. "The committee behind the match and all the Lottery people were just fantastic and put so much work into it . . . so I was hoping that it was going to be a success, but I was amazed when I saw just how successful it was. Thrilled with myself really - well, thrilled with them.

"It was brilliant to see so many people here, the sun out, it was a great day . . . except for the last five minutes," he said, in reference to his brief appearance in the match.

Had he always planned to play?

"No. I was told the night before that it would have been respectful to the fans just to see me in an Irish shirt for the last time. I did actually think it was a mistake with the way things were . . . "I get out of breath walking up my own stairs now because I haven't trained for a couple of months . . . I just didn't want to let myself down too much. I would have preferred to have left the last five minutes and have people think of the last time I played here . . . oh, we got beaten that time as well."

And was he emotional when he did his lap of honour around the pitch at the end? "Ah yeah of course, because it's the last time I'm going to be involved at Lansdowne Road, unless I take up rugby. "It did bring a lump to my throat because they've been so good to me here and it's kind of sad this was the end, especially when those five minutes are the last I'll play here. But it was a great response from the fans. A great day."