*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:20, 31 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:42, 10 October 2024 (UTC)
A native of Athboy, County Meath, McGrath played youth football for his local club Athboy Celtic before joining top Dublin youth side Cherry Orchard. He played for UCD under 19's before joining St Patrick's Athletic under 19 side on their scholarship scheme with NUI Maynooth. He played for Pats under 19's for two seasons, including a league winning campaign in which McGrath scored two goals against Derry City under 19's in the final.[3][4] He progressed into the first team in 2014 whilst still playing for the club's under 19 side.
St Patrick's Athletic
2014 season
McGrath made his senior debut with the first team on 9 September 2014 as he played the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 win over Longford Town in the 2014 Leinster Senior Cup Final at City Calling Stadium. McGrath impressed Saints fans with his display, including an excellent through ball to set up Jack Bayly's winning goal in the 64th minute.[5][6] His League of Ireland debut came on 17 October 2014 when he started against Athlone Town in a 2–0 loss at Richmond Park.[7]
2015 season
He was named as a first team player ahead of the 2015 season, with number 19 being assigned to McGrath as his squad number.[8] Mid season when first choice striker Christy Fagan picked up a knee injury, McGrath had an extended run in the starting 11 as a striker and scored his first goals away to Drogheda United and Sligo Rovers in consecutive away games to secure 2–0 and 3–0 wins respectively.[9][10] McGrath made his first appearances in UEFA competition when he came on from the bench both away and at home against Latvian side Skonto Riga in the Europa League.[11][12] McGrath came on at the start of extra time in the 2015 League of Ireland Cup Final as Pats drew 0–0 with Galway United before winning 4–3 on penalties to win the League Cup at Eamonn Deacy Park.[13] McGrath received rave reviews from fans, pundits and the media alike for his breakthrough season,[14] coming in a second behind Lee Desmond in the club's Young Player of the Year awards.
2016 season
Although he struggled with shin splints that kept him out of games at the beginning of the 2016 season,[15] his importance to the team increased in a season where the team struggled to deal with the midfield losses of Chris Forrester, Greg Bolger, Killian Brennan and James Chambers. Those losses however, created an opportunity for McGrath to play a lot of games in the role of attacking midfielder throughout the season. His first goal of the season was an 89th-minute strike to rescue a point at home to relegation fighting Longford Town live on Eir Sport.[16] His only appearance in Europe for the season came against Dinamo Minsk of Belarus as Pats lost 1–0 at home and were knocked out of the Europa League in the second qualifying round.[17] McGrath played a huge part in the Saints retaining their League Cup trophy as he played in every game, scoring away from home against Bray Wanderers in the quarter-finals,[18]Shamrock Rovers in the semi's[19][20] and Limerick in the Final.[21][22] Following a good season for McGrath, he was voted St Patrick's Athletic Young Player of the Season by the club's supporters.[23]
On 31 January 2022, transfer deadline day, McGrath signed for EFL League One club Wigan Athletic on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[26] After making four appearances for the club, he spent the 2022–23 season on loan at Dundee United, before on 26 July 2023, making the decision to terminate his contract due to repeated contractual breaches by the previous owners of Wigan, despite the club's efforts to retain him.[27]
Dundee United loan
On 3 August 2022, he joined Dundee United on loan until the end of the 2022–23 season.[28] He made his debut the following day, providing the assist for Glenn Middleton's goal in a 1–0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa Conference League.[29] McGrath made 32 appearances in all competitions over the course of the season, scoring 7 goals, but this was not enough to help his side avoid relegation to the Scottish Championship as they finished bottom of the table.[30]
Aberdeen
After leaving Wigan, McGrath returned to the Scottish Premiership by signing a two-year contract with Aberdeen on 22 August 2023.[31][32] He made his debut two days later, coming off the bench in the 70th minute away to BK Häcken in the UEFA Europa League, helping his side to comeback from two goals down to earn a 2–2 draw.[33] On 30 September 2023, McGrath scored in a 3–1 win over Rangers at Ibrox Stadium on his 27th birthday.[34] On 9 November 2023, he scored his first career European goal when he found the bottom corner with a 30 yard free kick away to PAOK to level the scores at 2–2 in his sides UEFA Europa Conference League draw at the Toumba Stadium.[35]