Shortly over a year ago, Jamie McGrath arrived at Scottish Premiership strugglers St Mirren from Dundalk on a free transfer.

A relative unknown in Scotland at the time of signing, McGrath’s reputation has greatly enhanced since.

The Meath native currently tops St Mirren’s scoring chart with an impressive ten goals in all competitions this season, leading his club’s charge in potentially achieving their first top six finish in 36 years.

McGrath scored the winner today from the spot as his side picked up an important 1-0 win over Ross County.

Perhaps his most memorable performance this season came against Rangers in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final. He scored a brace on the night as St Mirren came away with a very impressive 3-2 victory, especially considering the outstanding form of Rangers this season. Fellow Irishman Conor McCarthy scored the winner in injury time to take St Mirren through to the semi-final where they would eventually bow out to Livingston.

While not traditionally a club with strong Irish connections, St Mirren’s Irish contingent has grown significantly over the past couple of years.

Currently, there are five Irish players on the books of St Mirren, namely; Jake Doyle-Hayes, Joe Shaughnessy, Dylan Connolly, Conor McCarthy and Jamie McGrath. Aside from their playing staff, their first-team manager Jim Goodwin is also Irish, playing a solitary game for his country in 2002.

McGrath suffered an injury earlier this month which will require him to receive surgery on his shoulder. However, instead of undergoing operation, he decided to put off the surgery until the end of the season.

His decision to put surgery on hold is a massive boost to his club, regarded he doesn’t further aggravate the injury, obviously.

However, could it also accelerate his international hopes?

Along with Conor Hourihane, Jamie McGrath is arguably Ireland’s most in-form midfielder at the moment.

As well as this, Irish senior manager Stephen Kenny knows him well from the two years McGrath spent under him at Dundalk. During that time, he helped Kenny and Dundalk to several honours including two league titles and an FAI cup among others.

With that said, could McGrath have an outside chance of making the Ireland squad in March?

83′ – STM 1-0 ROS@jamie_mc_gra makes no mistake from the spot to score his th of the season.#STMROS | #BeInThatNumber | #BeatHeartbreakForever pic.twitter.com/voGUW2wtrR

— St Mirren FC (@saintmirrenfc) February 27, 2021

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