Cathal McCarthy

Cathal McCarthy of Kilmarnock was born in Caragh, Rep. Ireland on 31 August 2006 (age 20).

Cathal McCarthy, born on 31 August 2006 (age 20), is a Republic of Ireland central defender whose senior profile is built around Kilmarnock. Wearing number 4, he has been used in the middle of defence, with his Kilmarnock spell accounting for the substance of his first-team record.

In 2026-27, McCarthy has made 10 league appearances and scored one goal for Killie, while also featuring once in the League Cup. That leaves him on 11 appearances and one goal for the club across all competitions – a modest but clear start to a career presently shaped by Rugby Park.

📈 Key stats and insights

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Cathal McCarthy has started all 10 Premiership appearances in 2026–27
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Cathal McCarthy has scored one goal in Premiership 2026–27
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Cathal McCarthy has picked up three yellow cards in Premiership 2026–27
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Cathal McCarthy averages a 6.63 season rating with a 5.75–7.41 range
Last updated 1 November 2026. Send feedback

Cathal McCarthy stats

Check out all of the statistics about Cathal McCarthy.

Central Defender
Primary Position
Defender
Position
CD
1.85m (6ft)
Height
4
Squad Number
76kg (11st 13lb)
Weight
31 August 2006 (age 20)
Date of Birth
Caragh
Birthplace
Rep. Ireland 🇮🇪
Country of Birth
Kilmarnock
Team

📊 Season stats

Team
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Premiership 2026 - 2027
Games
10
Starting
10
Substitute
-
Unused
2
Utilisation
83%
Goals
1
Yellows
3
Reds
-
Team
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
League Cup 2026 - 2027
Games
1
Starting
1
Substitute
-
Unused
5
Utilisation
17%
Goals
-
Yellows
1
Reds
-

In the 2026–27 Premiership McCarthy has made 10 appearances, all starts, scoring one goal and collecting three yellow cards; he has also made one League Cup appearance. Those numbers suggest he is a regular first‑choice central defender for Kilmarnock with involvement in cup fixtures.

🔥 Recent form

Last 7 appearances for Cathal McCarthy.

Season average rating: 6.72

Match
St. Johnstone
Kilmarnock 2-2 St. Johnstone
31 Oct 2026 (H)
Mins
90
Goals
1
Rating
7.7
Match
Dundee
Dundee 3-1 Kilmarnock
28 Oct 2026 (A)
Mins
89
Goals
-
Rating
6.4
Match
Falkirk
Falkirk 3-0 Kilmarnock
24 Oct 2026 (A)
Mins
76
Goals
-
Rating
5.8
Match
Motherwell
Kilmarnock 3-2 Motherwell
17 Oct 2026 (H)
Mins
90
Goals
-
Rating
6.1
Match
Rangers
Rangers 3-1 Kilmarnock
10 Oct 2026 (A)
Mins
90
Goals
-
Rating
6.5
Match
Hearts
Kilmarnock 1-1 Hearts
19 Sep 2026 (H)
Mins
90
Goals
-
Rating
6.4
Match
Hibernian
Hibernian 0-1 Kilmarnock
15 Sep 2026 (A)
Mins
90
Goals
-
Rating
7.4

McCarthy is averaging a 6.63 rating in 2026–27, with match scores ranging from 5.75 to 7.41 – the 5.75–7.41 spread indicates intermittent variability between quieter matches and stronger displays, while his consistent starts point to steady selection.

📋 Career stats

Team
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Season 2026 - 2027
Country
Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Games
10
Goals
1
Team
Hull City
Hull City
Season 2025 - 2026
Country
England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Games
6
Goals
-

McCarthy, 20, a Republic of Ireland central defender, has progressed through three clubs: he began at UCD, moved to Hull City in April 2024 for an undisclosed fee, and joined Kilmarnock on loan in August 2026. The trajectory traces domestic development into English club structures before a loan into Scottish Premiership football.

💰 Transfers

Team
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
18 August 2026
From
Hull City
Hull City
Type
Loan
Team
Hull City
Hull City
19 April 2024
From
UCD
UCD
Type
Undisclosed

Moved from UCD to Hull City in April 2024 for an undisclosed fee, then joined Kilmarnock on loan from Hull City in August 2026 – the loan represents a step into regular Premiership football designed to accelerate senior experience.

Cathal McCarthy news

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