Darragh McCarthy

Darragh McCarthy
Personal information
Native name
Darragh Mac Cárthaigh (Irish)
BornAugust 2005 (age 20)
OccupationStudent
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Sport
SportHurling
PositionRight corner-forward
Club*
Years Club Apps (scores)
2023–present
Toomevara 16 (7-151)
Club titles
Tipperary titles 0
College
Years College Apps (scores)
2024–present
UL 4 (2-29)
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles 1
Inter-county**
Years County Apps (scores)
2024–present
Tipperary 7 (2-46)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 0
All-Irelands 1
NHL 0
All Stars 0
* club appearances and scores correct as of 21:47, 26 February 2026.
**Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 21:47, 26 February 2026.

Darragh McCarthy (born August 2005)[1] is an Irish hurler. At club level he plays with Toomevara and at inter-county level with the Tipperary senior hurling team.

Early life

Born and raised in Toomevara, County Tipperary, McCarthy played hurling at all levels as a student at St Joseph's CBS in Nenagh.[2] He made his Harty Cup debut during the 2021–22 running of the competition.[3] McCarthy spent three seasons as the team's free-taker before captaining St Joseph's CBS to their maiden Harty Cup title after a one-point win over Ardscoil Rís in 2024.[4] He later earned a scholarship to the University of Limerick (UL) and won a Freshers 1 League title in 2024.[5] McCarthy was the team's top scorer when University of Limerick beat Mary Immaculate College by 4–31 to 3–21 to win the Fitzgibbon Cup title in 2026.[6]

Club career

At club level, McCarthy first played for Toomevara at juvenile and underage levels. He won consecutive North Tipperary U19AHC titles in 2023 and 2024.[7][8] McCarthy also joined the club's senior team in 2023 and was the overall top scorer when Toomevara were beaten by Loughmore–Castleiney in the 2024 SHC final.[9]

Inter-county career

McCarthy was just 16 when he first appeared on the inter-county scene with Tipperary as an impact sub with the minor team in 2022. He won a Munster MHC medal that season, before later scoring a point from a free in the 1–17 to 1–16 win over Offaly in the 2022 All-Ireland MHC final.[10]

McCarthy subsequently spent three consecutive seasons with the under-21 team after immediately progressing to that grade from minor. He was Tipperary's top scorer in 2024, in a season which saw him win his first Munster U20HC before a 2–20 to 2–14 defeat by Offaly in the 2024 All-Ireland U20HC final.[11] In his third and final season in the grade, McCarthy was again Tipperary's top scorer as he claimed a second consecutive Munster U20HC medal. His last game in the grade saw him win an All-Ireland U20HC medal after a 3–19 to 1–16 win over Kilkenny.[12]

Performances at school, club and inter-county underage levels resulted in a call-up to the senior team's training panel in December 2024.[13][14] He scored 1–06 on his debut in a National Hurling League defeat of Galway in January 2025.[15] McCarthy was the league's top scorer but ended the campaign with a 3–24 to 0–23 defeat by Cork in the final.[16] The subsequent championship campaign saw him being sent off after receiving a straight red card for striking Seán O'Donoghue in the first minute of the game against Cork.[17] He was again sent off in the All-Ireland semi-final for a second yellow card offence on Kilkenny goalkeeper Eoin Murphy.[18] McCarthy won an All-Ireland SHC medal in July 2025, after scoring 1–13, including a penalty, in the 3-27 to 1-18 win over Cork in the 2025 All-Ireland SHC final.[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of 27 September 2025
Team Year Tipperary SHC
Apps Score
Toomevara 2023 5 2-35
2024 6 3-62
2025 5 2-54
Career total 16 7-151

Underage Inter-county

As of match played 31 May 2025.
Team Year National League Munster All-Ireland Total
Division Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score
Tipperary (MH) 2022 4 1-04 2 0-01 6 1-05
Total 4 1-04 2 0-01 6 1-05
Tipperary (U20) 2023 4 0-03 4 0-03
2024 5 1-38 1 1-05 6 2-43
2025 4 1-35 1 0-05 5 1-40
Total 13 2-76 2 1-10 15 3-86

Senior Inter-county

As of 15 March 2026
Team Year National League Munster All-Ireland Total
Division Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score Apps Score
Tipperary 2025 Division 1B 6 2-48 3 0-19 4 2-27 13 4-94
2026 4 0-18 0 0-00 0 0-00 4 0-18
Career total 10 2-66 3 0-19 4 2-27 17 4-112

Honours

St Josephs CBS Nenagh

University of Limerick

Toomevara

  • North Tipperary Under-19 A Hurling Championship: 2023, 2024

Tipperary

Awards

References

  1. ^ Cormican, Eoghan (21 July 2025). "'We produce legendary players, suddenly up pops McCarthy' - Darragh travels full circle in debut season". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  2. ^ Treacy, Enda (1 February 2024). "INTERVIEW: Nenagh captain McCarthy's stock on the rise as the Toome man aims for history". Tipperary Live. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  3. ^ Ryan, Pat (8 November 2021). "Ardscoil Rís hold off Nenagh rally to book Harty Cup quarter-final spot". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  4. ^ Cormican, Eoghan (3 February 2024). "Hoolan the hero as late, late goal ushers in Harty history for Nenagh CBS". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  5. ^ Treacy, Enda (26 November 2024). "Tipperary players shine in Freshers League hurling final as UL win out with ease in Mallow". Tipperary Live. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Limerick stars shine as clinical UL see off local rivals Mary Immaculate College in Fitzgibbon Cup final". Limerick Live. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  7. ^ "McCarthy masterclass sees Toomevara win first ever U19A North hurling crown". Tipperary Live. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Darragh McCarthy scores two late points to down Borris in epic extra time U19 North Final". Tipperary Live. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Last gasp John McGrath goal seals fifth Tipp title for Loughmore-Castleiney". Irish Examiner. 13 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Redemption as powerful Premier get hands on cup". Irish Examiner. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  11. ^ "Screeney and Bourke lead Offaly to famous All-Ireland U20 title". Irish Examiner. 1 June 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  12. ^ "oneills.com All-Ireland U20 Final: Terrific Tipperary triumph". GAA website. 31 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  13. ^ Cormican, Eoghan (30 May 2024). "The rise and rise of Tipperary's magical Darragh McCarthy". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Tipp senior hurling training panel announced". Hogan Stand. 15 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Tipperary thump Tribesmen in Salthill". RTE Sport. 26 January 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  16. ^ Fogarty, John (6 April 2025). "Páirc party as Cork cruise past Tipperary to claim first Hurling League title since 1998". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
  17. ^ "Darragh McCarthy red card a 'massive lesson' for Tipperary and warning to all inter-county hurlers - Shane McGrath". RTE Sport. 28 April 2025. Retrieved 20 May 2025.
  18. ^ "More measured Darragh McCarthy key to Tipperary's All-Ireland final hopes". RTE Sport. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  19. ^ "Tipperary crush Cork with second-half final masterclass to claim All-Ireland crown". RTE Sport. 20 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  20. ^ "Breaking: Tipperary's Darragh McCarthy wins Young Hurler of the Year for 2025". Tipperary Live. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.